Stay With Me
by SilverSanctuary
Summary: When new visions begin to plague her, Hitomi returns to Gaea to learn about war, hope, and love. Van&Hitomi with an appearance from nearly everyone else! Thanks for reading!
1. The Warrior of Dragons

A/N: Okay, hello all! This story, formerly only two chapters long, has been edited and redone (some parts are still similar, but others are added/changed) so that the characters (i.e. Van) stay more _in character_, and it makes more sense and has a greater possibility of being completed!! I actually broke down and did an outline (insert shocked emoticon here) so I would know where I am going (kind of helpful when you're dealing with visions and foreshadowing, don't you think?). ...Um, otherwise, this is a Van/Hitomi fic based on the anime (cuz the anime rules!!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne. If I did, Hitomi would have stayed on Gaea, and Van would have admitted he was in love with her...but then it wouldn't be the Van we all know and love, would it? lol! Anyway! On with the story!! Hope you enjoy!!_

* * *

_

_I've been here before._

Hitomi ducked beneath a tree branch and watched in awe as the muted sunlight cast speckled shadows on the glade. She had always thought this place was so beautiful. She took a few more careful steps forward. The glade carried a solemn air, as if she was disturbing its peace. A shining white memorial rose before her, and a black feather slowly floated from the sky.

Hitomi looked up at it, reached up her hands to catch it. It rested softly in her hands, the dappled light gleaming on its ebony surface.

_Folken..._

A shower of feathers drifted from the sky, and Hitomi smiled at them. A flurry of black and white, the feathers cascaded around her, bringing back so many memories. She lifted her hands up, letting the drifting feathers tickle her hands as they passed, and spun around and around.

Hitomi's soft laugh turned into a scream. The glade turned pitch black; the earth cracked beneath her feet. She grasped desperately at the feathers as she felt herself slipping, falling. She screamed and screamed, but neither angel came to her rescue, even though their feathers still floated around her.

Something large and black whooshed past her. Hitomi could barely make out the outline as a loud ringing screamed for her attention.

_A black dragon...?

* * *

_

Hitomi shot up in her bed and placed a hand to her head. The phone rang loudly on the bedside table. Groggily, she picked it up.

"Hello?" she mumbled.

"Hitomi! We're here!"

Hitomi blinked, the voice registering in her mind. She was still dazed from the dream; black and white feathers still drifted before her eyes.

"Yukari?"

"Yeah, Amano and I got here yesterday. Are you doing anything tonight?"

"I don't think so..."

"Great! Amano and I were planning on going to a restaurant. Do you want to meet us? Oh, and you might want to dress up a little. Amano's friend Hiko is coming."

Hitomi finally woke up a bit. "Wait, isn't that the guy you tried to set me up with at your wedding?"

"Yeah. I thought you liked him!"

"Well, I didn't mind him, he seemed nice enough. I didn't really spend much time with him though."

"Well, he's coming tonight, and he's really anxious to see you again. I think he might have a little crush on you, Hitomi." Hitomi could hear the grin in Yukari's voice.

"Okay, well, I'll see you tonight then," Hitomi replied evasively.

"Okay, I'll call you later about where and when. It's so good to be back home!"

Hitomi hung up. The phone clicked, and Hitomi placed it back on the bedside table. She then flopped back into the pillow, groaning slightly and rubbing her forehead.

"That was one weird dream..." she mumbled into the pillow. She sighed deeply as her thoughts drifted towards the setting of her dream. _Gaea..._And the thought of Gaea brought one name to the forefront of her mind.

_Van...

* * *

_

Hitomi stood in front of her mirror and inspected herself. She pulled at the black skirt and the clingy white top. Carefully, she adjusted the three-quarter length sleeves, then clasped the simple silver necklace around her neck. Satisfied, she smiled at her reflection, ran her fingers through her hair (slightly longer now), and left her small apartment.

Yukari and Amano beamed when she arrived. They both gave her huge hugs.

"Oh, Hitomi! It's so wonderful to see you again!" Yukari exclaimed.

Hitomi grinned. "How was your flight?"

"Long," Amano sighed, but he smiled. "Hiko should be here any moment. So, Hitomi, how have you been?"

"Amano? Yukari?"

Hitomi turned slowly at the man's voice. A smartly dressed young man with smooth black hair and soft brown eyes headed towards their table. Amano rose and shook his hand firmly, smiling. Yukari came and gave him a hug.

Amano pulled Hitomi forward. "I don't know if you two remember meeting at our wedding. Hitomi Kanzaki, this is Hiko Munama. Hiko, this is Hitomi."

"Hi," Hitomi said softly as she shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Hitomi," he replied, and Hitomi gasped slightly at his deep voice.

Behind her, Yukari grinned.

* * *

He could feel the power in his hands. He could feel the strength in the weight of the sword. Completely a final exercise, he flicked his maroon eyes open and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Van sighed and sheathed the sword. 

The Mystic Moon hung in the night sky, casting a eerie glow on the glade. Van turned and bowed slightly to the silver memorial behind him. He often came to the glade to practice. It gave him a strange peace. Away from the bustle of the palace, he came here to train and clear his head.

Van moved to the steps of the memorial and sat down, resting the sheathed sword next to him. Characteristically, he pulled one leg up and hugged it to his chest.

A woman appeared in front of him, dressed in a clingy white top and a black skirt. She pulled at the sleeves and smiled at him for a moment. Then she vanished. Van smiled slightly.

* * *

Hitomi laughed, and her green eyes glowed. She took a sip of water as Hiko continued the joke. She coughed, nearly chocking, as a fit of laughter wracked her. Yukari placed a hand on Hitomi's back, making sure she was all right, and then laughing herself. Hiko's brown eyes lit up warmly as Amano, Yukari, and Hitomi laughed at the joke. 

Hitomi took a proper drink, still giggling. She smiled across the table at Hiko. He stared at her with his warm brown eyes, and Hitomi dropped her gaze nervously. Next to her, Yukari nudged her and grinned conspiratorially.

Hitomi barely remembered Hiko from Amano and Yukari's wedding. There had been so many pictures and conversations and introductions that day. But she was glad they had been reintroduced tonight. He _was_ rather handsome...

Hiko placed down his own glass and leaned forward slightly. "I'm sorry, Miss Kanzaki, but I don't remember catching what your occupation is." He smiled.

She sat up a little straighter. "Hitomi is fine," she said smiling. "Right now I work in the public relations office at a business firm downtown. But I want to teach physical education someday."

Hiko laughed. "You and Amano never grew out of sports!"

Yukari leaned over the table and raised her eyebrow at him playfully. "And why don't you tell Hitomi what you do, Hiko? Aren't you still playing with your computers?"

He winked. "Of course. None of us ever grow out of our childhood loves." He paused for a moment. "That's why all of us are still friends. Even after Amano here abandoned us to go gallivanting across the English countryside!"

Amano laughed. "Not necessarily my choice, Hiko!" Their banter was light, causing Hitomi to smile softly. She was having a wonderful time.

Yukari sighed and smiled. "Let's not get into things we can't control. After dinner, how about a night on the town?" She turned to Hitomi and grinned. "We can go see all the shops!"

"That sounds lovely," Amano replied. Hiko nodded.

Hitomi blinked. A white feather floated from the ceiling. Just like the ones from her dream. It spun and twirled in a nonexistent breeze until it settled on the table, just in front of her plate.

"Hitomi?"

The feather vanished. Hitomi focused on Yukari's concerned face and forced a smile.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun."

She sipped her water nervously. Her heart pounded in her chest.

_He's calling...

* * *

_

Maroon eyes flicked open. Van blinked slowly as the darkness whirled in front of him. His whole body ached from falling asleep sitting on the memorial, but he barely noticed. His eyes slowly raised to where the Mystic Moon hung in the sky above him.

He had dreamed of her again.

Van slowly stood, belted his sword around his waist, and stretched. As he pulled off the familiar red shirt, two brilliant white wings erupted from his back. Soft white feathers floated through the air, turning silver in the moonlight.

He tested his wings for a moment, contemplating his decision. "I've got to try," he whispered.

Van launched himself into the air. He aimed straight for the Mystic Moon.

"Hitomi," he breathed. "I miss you. I want to see you again."

* * *

"Wow, Yukari! Look at this!" 

Hitomi pulled her friend over to the glass case full of little glass figurines. The two girls stared in awe at the little prancing unicorns and mysterious wizards. Pink roses unfurled their petals, and blue dolphins leapt from the waves.

"They're beautiful," Yukari said. "How do you think someone makes them?"

Hitomi shook her head in disbelief. She gasped. Inside the case, a little glass dragon stood, its ruby eyes gleaming. Its wings spread wide in triumph, and Hitomi pressed a hand to her mouth.

Yukari moved next to her to look at it. "Wow." Then she frowned. "But look at the price, Hitomi."

Hitomi sighed. "Way too expensive." The two girls straightened and found Amano and Hiko. They exited the shop, Hiko holding the door open for Hitomi. She smiled and thanked him. The bright street lamps illuminated the boulevard as the four friends walked and laughed, popping in and out of shops. Amano bought Yukari a cute fluffy teddy bear.

Hitomi yawned tiredly. Hiko gave her a concerned look.

"Hitomi? Are you all right?"

"Just a little tired."

Somehow she ended up leaning against him as they walked down the street. She smiled dreamily as she let her mind wander. Ahead of them, Amano and Yukari snuck a kiss.

Her eyes traveled over the crowd. She smiled absently at the couples and cuddled closer to Hiko. They walked slower, falling farther behind Amano and Yukari. Hiko laced his fingers through hers and held her close.

As he eyes were slipping shut, she caught sight of a face in the crowd that she recognized. A face with tan skin, black hair, and deep maroon eyes.

Hitomi stopped dead. The people kept moving, but he stood still. He stared at her with an immense sadness in his eyes. The locks of his black hair were limp, as if he had been out in the rain. But the look on his face, the hurt in his eyes, was enough to nearly rip her heart apart.

_He looks the same as he did after I kissed Allen..._

And just as he did then, now he turned and jogged away.

"_No!_ Van, _wait!_" Hitomi cried.

She blinked, and Van's jogging form vanished. Amano, Yukari, Hiko, and several nearby couples stared at her. Hitomi felt tears rising, and slowly, quietly, they spilled over. Her shoulders shook as she silently sobbed.

Yukari grasped her friend's shoulders and hugged her. Hitomi cried on her shoulder.

"Hitomi? It's okay. We're going to take you home now," she whispered.

"Okay." Hitomi paused, then whispered, "Yukari...I miss him so much..."

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for reading!! Reviews are very much appreciated!! 

Silver Sanctuary


	2. Seven Seconds

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Esca...If I did, I would definitely manufacture Hitomi's pendant...I mean, they make Inuyasha's beads, so why can't they make Hitomi's pendant?! I would buy it instantly!! _Any_way, hope you enjoy!! Thanks for reading!

* * *

Hitomi tossed and turned. There was no peace in the night. If she slept, white feathers and pink pendants haunted her dreams. If she lay awake, voices from years ago whispered from the shadows. Hitomi squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered silently, pulling the blankets tighter around her shoulders. 

_Hitomi..._

She shot up straight, then groaned. "He's not here, he's not here..." she breathed. "Why? I don't want to go back to that again. I've moved on from all of that..."

But she had seen him in the crowd. And he had looked so _real_.

Hitomi rose from her bed and silently dressed. The dim streetlights turned her apartment into a mix of greys. She pulled a jogging shirt over her white tank top, grabbed her running shoes and car keys, and exited the apartment.

But the memories followed her.

As she drove, she could see them. She could see the people she left behind. There was Folken with his black wings. And Naria and Eriya, their silver and gold hair sparkling. Off to the right stood Millerna in her wedding clothes, and her sister Eries stood solemnly behind her. Dryden leaned smugly against a wall, watching Millerna sadly over his glasses. Hitomi gasped slightly as dear Chid waved at her from the sidewalk. As she turned a corner, a woman and man waited at the corner. Allen and Celena. The knight's long golden hair rippled in the slight breeze.

Hitomi squeezed her eyes shut, parked the car, took a deep breath, and got out. She pulled on her running shoes and jogged onto the old, familiar track.

Running always calmed her nerves, always made her feel better. It made her forget, and it cleared her mind. When she was running, she thought of nothing but the wind on her face and the earth beneath her feet. Hitomi took her stance.

"Now focus everything," she whispered to herself.

And she ran.

_One second, two seconds..._

_Three seconds, four seconds..._

_Five seconds..._

_Six seconds...

* * *

_

After what seemed like eternity, Van felt his feet hit solid ground. The light blinded him. Slowly, the light dissipated, and he was left in darkness. He turned around at the sound of running feet. It was _her._

_Seven seconds..._

Hitomi did not have time to stop. She stared in utter disbelief as the pillar of light descended from the sky. She cried out as she collided into him. He stood his ground, and Hitomi flew back, landing on the ground. She panted from running.

_He's here...He's real_...

Green eyes met maroon. She instantly took in how much taller he had grown. He was still a little lean, but his shoulders had broadened. Other than that, he was the same Van she had left all those years ago. Still the same deep maroon eyes, wild black hair, and familiar red shirt and khaki pants. Hitomi stood up quickly. Van looked around slowly, confused as to where he was.

"I really made it back here," he said slowly. He looked at her carefully, awaiting her reaction to his arrival.

Hitomi stood staring, shocked. "Van?" she said softly, hardly daring to believe it.

"Hitomi."

"Van!" He blinked in surprise as she flung her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly, and he felt his cheeks burning.

* * *

Review? Please?? (insert big smiley emoticon with puppy eyes here) 


	3. Visions

Thanks to all who reviewed! I really appreciate it!! I'm sorry the last one was so short. It was either have it be short or have it be put with this chapter and be really long...I preferred the short chapter. This one's sort of short too, but...oh well...Oh, and thanks to Arienhod who informed me that they _do_ sell Hitomi's pendant

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne...If I did, Episode 19 would be _so very different!!!_ Anyway, hope you enjoy!!

* * *

Van took in the way her hair curled softly around her ears, how the flashing lights outside of the strange horseless carriage caught in her emerald eyes. He feared that if he even blinked, he would wake up again in the glade in front of the white memorial with the Mystic Moon hanging in the sky. 

Silence hung heavily between them, but Hitomi knew any conversation would be clearly forced and awkward. And it was Van, after all. If he wanted to have a conversation, he would say something. Finally, she parked in front of the apartment building. She unbuckled her seatbelt and took the keys from the ignition. Van mimicked her motions silently.

"Um...Just pull on this and then push," she said softly, awkwardly, showing him how to open the car door. She could feel her face heating up as he walked around the car towards her. Boldly, she reached out to take his hand.

_My emotions bind Van..._

Hitomi dropped her hand instantly. Instead he followed obediently behind her as she led him into the building, through a door, and up a few flights of stairs. Another door, down a hall, and then she pulled her keys out. She desperately tried to make her hands stop shaking. Quickly, quietly, she opened the door to her apartment. Van followed. Blue grey light met them, and Hitomi locked the door.

Van's eyes widened in curiosity as he looked around the apartment. He paused at the television, the laptop, and the cordless phone on the coffee table. Slowly he turned back to face Hitomi and marveled at how the blue moonlight made her eyes sparkle.

She could feel her cheeks heating up again. "Um...are you hungry or thirsty?" she said softly, moving towards the small kitchen.

"No, thank you. I'm just fine."

Hitomi started a little at his words, at how closely they matched her own from so long ago. She turned back to face him. The moonlight gleamed on his black hair and soft skin.

"Y–You must be tired...You can use my bed, and I'll sleep on the couch..."

Van shook his head. "It's all right. You sleep in the bed." He could see how tired she was. She rocked back and forth on her feet, and her eyelids drifted down.

Hitomi was too tired to argue with him. Rubbing her eyes sleepily, she went to the closet and pulled out an extra blanket and pillow for him. Van took them silently, but he seemed to jump slightly when his hand touched hers.

"Good night," he said softly.

Hitomi gave him a sleepy half smile and went to her room. She sat down on her bed and stared at the floor, her mind whirling. A white feather floated from the ceiling, then vanished. Hitomi groaned and placed a hand wearily to her forehead. Exhausted, she climbed under her covers and finally fell asleep.

* * *

Hitomi was underwater. But she could breathe. She blinked slowly and looked around at the watery world. An ancient city rose before her, and as she swam towards it, she could hear a pulsing coming from the center of the city. 

Like a heartbeat.

Algae and seaweed grew in the cracks and crevices. Faded murals glowered at her as she passed collapsed columns and broken walls. The pulsing grew louder.

The water melted away. Hitomi floated in darkness. She looked around frantically. The heartbeat continued.

_Hitomi, I'll protect you_.

Hitomi spun around. Van's voice echoed around her, but she could not tell where it was coming from.

_I'll protect her._

"Van! Where are you?"

There was the clash of swords, a clap of thunder.

_Once Escaflowne's repaired, his wounds will be healed...if he can survive the pain._

"Dryden?" Hitomi called. Only darkness. And echoes. And the heartbeat.

_I'll protect you._

_Please, my son. Don't forget. It's your will that determines Gaea's future. It's all up to you. Don't forget, Van!_

More swords, then screams. The sound of battle.

_Brother!!_

I feel Van crying...

_A samurai's life is meant to save others..._

Thunder. Screams. Van's screams.

_He's losing blood!_

_If he can survive the pain..._

It's all my fault...

_Hitomi? Are you having trouble sleeping?_

_I'm a man who destroyed his homeland._

It's all my fault...

_I'll protect you._

_Burn! Burn!! BURN!!!_

_You don't charge aggressively enough!_

_Lord Van...Lord Van's dying...!_

_If he can survive the pain..._

_Burn! Burn!! BURN!!!_

_LORD VAN!!!_

"_Stop this!!_"

"Hitomi, wake up!"

Hitomi breathed heavily, and her heart raced. She blinked confusedly, then focused on Van's concerned face. She exhaled slowly and shut her eyes. Slowly, she took a few deep breaths.

"Not again...Why am I having these dreams again?"

"What did you see?" Van asked.

"A city underwater. Then darkness. And voices...so many voices. They echoed and blended together until I was drowning in sound." She paused and fixed him with bright eyes. "Van, it seemed as though someone was dying."

Van did not know what to say to her. He had heard her cries and rushed immediately into the bedroom. Now he could tell she was exhausted; her green eyes were dim, and there were shadows under them. She needed sleep...but he did not want her to be afflicted by horrifying dreams.

"You need rest, Hitomi," he said quietly. "Please try to sleep. I'll be right outside if you need anything—"

He felt her cling to him tightly but moved away before she could convince him to stay. Without meeting her eyes, he arranged her pillows, patted them slightly, and drew her covers up over her. Then he left, shutting the door behind him. He ran a hand through his messy black hair, pulled the familiar red shirt back over his head, grabbed the pillow and blanket from the couch, and sat against the wall, right next to her door. Throughout the night, Van guarded her door.

* * *

Thanks for reading!! Reviews are greatly appreciated! 


	4. The Adventures of Van in the Kitchen

Thanks so much to all who reviewed!! Those last chapters were posted before and were edited. I needed to make sure everyone (especially Van) was in character. This chapter is the first "new" one. This one is short too, but the next one is much longer! Personally, I love this chapter. The mental image of Van is just too funny!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne...If I did, there would be much more funny parts, especially funny parts involving Van!!

* * *

Van's internal clock would not let him sleep long. Precisely at 6:30, he stretched out the cramps in his muscles and pushed himself to his feet. He peeked his head inside Hitomi's room, then closed the door softly again. She slept silently. Van pulled his shirt over his head but left his boots next to the couch. His stomach growling, Van walked softly into the small kitchen. 

This place was strange to him. Halfway through the night, a strange humming had awoken him. The humming came from a shiny black rectangular box against the wall. Van had stared at it worriedly, trying to discern if it was dangerous or not. Finally, he drew up enough courage to pull on the handles. The side of the box opened, like a door. Van jumped and shut it again quickly. Light and cold air had flowed out of the box! He had rushed to the coffee table, grabbed his sword, and was about to start hacking away when he paused. If it was in Hitomi's house, it probably was not dangerous...Slowly, Van lowered his sword, ran a hand through his messy black hair, and returned to bed.

Now in the light of early morning, Van could see more strange objects, shining things that gleamed in the light. The black box hummed nonchalantly next to him. Van gave it a hard glare. His stomach growled again, and he grabbed an apple out of the basket on the table.

Van leaned against the counter and chewed the apple thoughtfully, his mind drifting to the girl in the bedroom. _I'm on the Mystic Moon_...Van took another bite. _And Hitomi's having visions again..._He grimaced slightly. The last time Hitomi had visions, bad things had happened...to her and to Gaea. Van prayed that nothing bad was going to happen this time.

_It was just a bad dream...that's all it was_.

Van finished off the apple, core and all. As he stared at the basket of fruit, an idea suddenly occurred to him. He smiled slightly at the thought. Looking around, he reached into the cabinets above his head and pulled out a plate. He sliced an apple, placed the pieces on the plate, and added a banana too. Then he looked around the kitchen. This might be difficult.

Where to find bread?

Van was not really sure where he should look; in Fanelia, bread was always already on the cutting board, ready to eat. But this was not Fanelia. This was the Mystic Moon. He searched through all the cabinets and found only plates, bowls, and glasses. Sighing, he moved around the counter, staying away from the shiny objects.

Finally, he caught sight of brown bread in a bag. As he picked it up, he saw it was already sliced. Shrugging, he untied the strange string around it, reached in, and pulled out two pieces of bread. He set them on the plate with the fruit. He retied the bag of bread and put it where he had found it.

He placed his hands on his hips. This was the hard part. In the palace, they kept perishable items like butter in a cool cellar underneath the kitchens. But as Hitomi's living space appeared to be only these small rooms, Van doubted there was a cellar somewhere underneath. Then a strange thought occurred to him.

_Do they even have butter?_

Hitomi had not known what piscus was...could it be possible that she did not have butter either? Van found it hard to fathom. Butter could be found everywhere in Gaea. Moving around the kitchen, he could not think of any place where the butter would be kept cool and was about to give up when the humming of the black box caught his attention.

Turning slowly towards it, he glared at it again. But cold air had come out of it...perhaps it was some kind of small cellar? Van shook his head; a box that kept things cool? How could that be achieved! Ridiculous! But...he wanted to make a small breakfast for Hitomi, and this _was_ the only place he had not looked.

Steeling himself, he gripped the handle and pulled the door open again. There was food inside! Van was stunned. Slowly he sifted through the tubs, packaged meat, and lettuce. In the door, there were bottles of strange liquid. There were labels on many of the tubs and bottles, but Van could not read them. It was written in the language of the Mystic Moon.

"Found you!" Van said triumphantly as he pulled the stick of butter out of its little shelf in the door. Smiling happily, he spread the butter on the bread, returned the butter, gave the black box a final distrustful look, then closed the door again.

He sat down in one of the chairs to wait for Hitomi. He watched how the sun slanted through the window shades and smiled softly. The clock on the wall ticked away. Taking another apple from the basket, he munched on it thoughtfully.

A ringing sounded throughout the rooms. Van almost chocked on his apple in surprise. Leaping up, he followed the sound into the sitting room, hoping it would stop so it would not wake Hitomi. He spied a strange white object on the coffee table near his sword; the ringing was coming from it. Lights blinked on it, and a small screen displayed letters that Van could not understand. There was a click, and the ringing stopped. Van stared at the object for a moment, waiting to see if the ringing would start again, sighed, then returned to his seat.

* * *

Sorry it's so short!! The next one is longer, I promise!! Reviews are greatly appreciated!! 


	5. Glass Dragons

As promised, this chapter is much longer! I hope you enjoy! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne...if I did, hmm...if I did, they would have explained more how the pillar of light works...Anyway, on the story!

* * *

Hitomi glared at her pillow as she pressed the "Talk" button on her cordless phone. _This had better be good..._

"Hello?" Hitomi mumbled.

"Hitomi, I'm so sorry!" Yukari's voice exclaimed. "I know you like to sleep in on Sundays, but I had to warn you. Hiko was worried about you all last night."

"I'm much better now, Yukari," she said softly.

Yukari plunged on. "I _told_ him to leave you alone, but he insisted on coming to visit you. He's on his way to your apartment right now!"

Hitomi started, then sighed. "Thanks, Yukari. I'll get ready."

"I'm really sorry about this, Hitomi."

"It's okay. Bye, Yukari." Hitomi pressed the "End" button. The phone beeped, ending the call. Hitomi let her head fall back into the pillow. She groaned. "Well, I guess I'd better get up," she grumbled into the pillow.

Languidly, she got out of bed and mechanically dressed in a tee-shirt and shorts. She opened the door and walked out into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Hitomi stopped dead. Light from the window glistened on black hair. Van turned at her presence and smiled softly. For the first time, she noticed the pendant gleaming around his neck. He turned back to look out the window once more. Hitomi stared at him in shock.

She blushed and ducked her head as she approached him. "I thought I had dreamed you up," she said softly. Van turned back to her and gave her a small, rare smile. Hitomi felt her own lips creep upwards. She turned her gaze to the table as she pulled out a chair and sat down. She started in surprise at the plate of fruit and bread.

Van followed her gaze. "Are you hungry?" he asked quietly.

She looked at him. "You made me breakfast?" He shrugged, smiling a little more.

Hitomi munched the fruit thoughtfully as Van rose and leaned against the counter. The familiar red shirt hung loosely about his shoulders. He told her he had already eaten, and Hitomi noticed that the fruit basket was not near as full as it had been.

Van finally broke the silence. "Where is your family?" he asked awkwardly. "Your brother and parents?"

Hitomi smiled down at her food. "My mom and dad are fine, and my little brother's in high school now. He'll be graduating soon. I moved out of the apartment when I turned eighteen and went to university." She looked up at him. "I intend to take some education courses and become a physical education teacher."

Van shifted his position slightly. "Fanelia is rebuilt," he offered quietly. When Hitomi's eyes sparkled with interest, he continued. "We just completed the palace. It looks similar to the way it was."

"And how is Merle?"

"She's the same as ever. Always running off all the princesses who come to Fanelia."

Hitomi started slightly. _Of course princesses would come! Van's a handsome young king...Surely he is looking for a wife._ Hitomi frowned sadly.

"Why does she run them off?" she asked cautiously.

Van shrugged. "She insists that no one is good enough for me." He paused, almost uncomfortable.

Hitomi took a deep breath. "You're not married, then?"

Van fixed her with his maroon eyes. "No."

Relief washed through her. She took a bite of the bread and laughed slightly, trying to play off the question. "Me neither. Who wants to get married at so young an age anyway?" She chewed, swallowed. The bread and apples suddenly became very interesting. A question tickled her throat, but she did not know if she had the nerve to ask it. She took a deep breath.

"Van, why are you here? Is something wrong in Gaea?"

Van opened his mouth, but a knocking on her door cut him off. He instantly stood straight.

"Oh, no," Hitomi groaned. "I'll be there in a minute!" she yelled, rushing towards Van. She grabbed his hand and pushed him into the bedroom.

"Hitomi, what—?"

"Stay in here and don't make a sound." Then she shut the door. Van frowned and cracked it open so he could look out into the sitting room.

Hitomi rushed past the coffee table, then did a double take. Van's sword rested on the table, and his boots sat next to the couch. She cursed softly under her breath as the knocking resumed. She grabbed the sword and boots and threw them rather unceremoniously into the closet.

"Coming!" she shouted as she ran to the door. Breathing hard, she opened the door.

Hiko smiled at her. His smooth black hair fell softly into his warm brown eyes. He wore a dark blue tee shirt tucked into jeans. Hitomi had to admit that he looked very handsome. He carried at small bag.

"Good morning, Hitomi. ...I'm sorry if I woke you," he said softly, looking at her tousled hair.

Hitomi glanced down at herself and blushed. "Oh, no, it's okay. I'm sorry. Please come in." She held the door wider and gestured inside. Hiko came in, and Hitomi shut the door.

"Please sit down, Hiko. Can I get you anything?"

Hiko sat down on the couch. "No, I'm fine, thank you." He stood quickly and handed her the bag. "Here, this is for you. I hope you're feeling better."

Hitomi forced a smile, and reached into the bag. She gasped when she saw what it was. The little glass dragon with its ruby eyes rested in her hand. She stared at Hiko with wide eyes, and he smiled at her astonishment.

"I saw you looking at it last night," he explained.

"You shouldn't have gotten this. It is far too expensive." She tried to give it back to him, but he would not take it.

"No, I wanted to get it."

In the bedroom, Van fisted his hand in anger, peering through the cracked door. Who was this man, and why in the world was he bringing Hitomi gifts? Anger flared in him every time she smiled at the man, but then he suddenly started in surprise, looking down in confusion at his fisted hand.

"Amano and Yukari were talking about going to see a movie later today. Would you like to come with us?"

Hitomi stumbled over the words. Involuntarily, her eyes shot to her bedroom door. She could not go to a movie! She had to stay and figure out what to do with Van...who was steadily becoming a problem.

"I'm sorry, Hiko, but I can't. I...have a lot of paperwork to finish. My boss said he needed it down by Monday or else." She forced a weak, apologetic smile.

Hiko's face fell. "Ah, I see." He stood, nodding to her. "Well, I'd better be off then. Amano will wonder where I ran off to. You are feeling better though?"

"Much better," Hitomi answered truthfully.

With a smile, Hiko opened the door. "Bye, Hitomi."

She forced a small smile. "Bye." She let out a sigh of relief as the door closed behind him.

Van emerged from the bedroom and slowly walked towards her. He had a strange look on his face.

"Who was that?"

Hitomi sighed again and stared at the little glass dragon in her hand. "His name is Hiko Munama. He's a friend of a friend." She carefully placed the dragon on the coffee table and watched its red eyes sparkle in the morning light. "I appreciate his concern, but he really shouldn't have gotten this. I only wanted it because it reminded me of..." Hitomi dropped off, glanced up at Van, and blushed slightly. "Never mind," she mumbled. "What were we talking about?"

"Hitomi..." She looked back up at him. His black hair fell over his eyes.

"Hitomi...that man...do you...are you...?"

Hitomi gasped. Van and her apartment melted away into utter darkness. Everything pulsed with the sound of a heartbeat, and a pale green light sparked at the edge of her mind. The little glass dragon glowed ominously with its bright red eyes. It leapt, roaring, growing exponentially and wrapped around her. It whooshed by, its clear skin turning pitch black. Suddenly, clear shapes flashed before her eyes.

_The Ace of Serpents..._

_The Death Card..._

_The Lovers..._

_The Tower..._

The ground beneath her cracked; she felt herself slipping, falling. Everything was spiraling away from her. Rushing, spiraling, pulsing. Hitomi realized she was screaming, catching at air in a vain attempt to stop her downward plunge. Something whooshed past her—the black dragon with a glowing green heart.

_The Ace of Serpents..._

_The Death Card..._

"Hitomi!"

Van's worried and concerned face cut through the darkness. Hitomi gasped and blinked rapidly in surprise, still feeling as if she were falling.

"I saw...I saw..."

Van gripped her shoulders tighter, his maroon eyes wide. "Are you all right?"

Hitomi weakly placed a hand to her forehead, her mind reeling. "Van...Gaea's in trouble! Something bad is going to happen to Fanelia! We have to go back! Something bad's going to happen to Escaflowne!"

She rushed out of his grip and into the bedroom. Throwing open her closet, she grabbed her duffel bag, and began throwing junk inside. "Van! Go down to the car! I'll meet you there! It's the blue one!" she yelled.

Van paused for a moment. Car? Catching on slightly, he retrieved his boots and sword from the closet, then turned and ran out the apartment door. He pulled open a door he remembered passing through last night and jumped down the flights of stairs. He dashed out of the apartment complex and onto the sidewalk, a row of cars greeting him.

Van stared at the strange horseless carriages in confusion. He scanned the row up and down. Four blue carriages sat innocently before him.

"Excuse me, sir, do you need some help?"

Van spun around to face the man, involuntarily placing his hand on his sword. A tall man in a dark blue tee shirt with soft brown eyes and dark hair smiled at him. The man bowed slightly.

"Hi, I'm Hiko Munama. You looked a little lost. Is there anything I can do?"

Van's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm looking for a blue...car," he said slowly, focusing on the strange word. Hiko looked confused.

"You have a strange accent. Who's car are you looking for?"

The door to the apartment complex swung open, and Hitomi burst out with her duffel bag on her shoulder. Her green eyes widened, but she rushed over to the two quickly. She bowed to Hiko as he opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm so sorry, Hiko, but we have to go. I'm so very sorry about this, Hiko."

She grabbed Van's hand and pulled him over to one of the blue cars. Unlocking the doors, they clambered inside, and soon they tore out of the parking lot. Hiko stood on the sidewalk, completely confused and hurt.

* * *

Hiko knew he should not follow them. His conscience scolded him, but he forcefully pushed it away. He had to know who that strange man was, the man with the thick accent, wild black hair and sharp maroon eyes. The man with Hitomi.

Hiko sighed deeply as he turned a corner, following Hitomi's blue car. But he barely had time to think; the blue car turned sharply, jerked into the next lane, passed two cars, then jerked back into the lane. Hiko's eyebrows knitted in confusion. What could cause her to drive so recklessly?

The Kamakura-kita high school rose in front of him. Hitomi pulled the car into the parking lot, not even bothering to park properly in a space. She and the strange man leapt out of the car, and both sprinted to the track.

Hiko swiftly parked and jumped out of his car. "Hitomi!" he called. She did not hear him. Both continued running until they stood in the center of the track. Hiko ran after them. He thought he was dreaming.

The man raised what looked like a necklace up into the air. Hitomi stood up on her tiptoes and clasped the necklace as well. A wind whistled through the air, rustling their hair. Something on the necklace glowed brightly. Hiko gasped and took a step back as a giant beam of white light descended from the heavens and enveloped Hitomi and the man.

"Hitomi!" he yelled, rushing forward into the blinding light.

Hitomi's bright green eyes finally saw him. She started yelling, but he could not hear her. Fear and worry entered her eyes; he could no longer feel the track under his feet. It felt like he was floating. The man in the red shirt had a slight smile on his face and a strange emotion in his eyes. It almost looked as if he were going home.

The white light completely blinded him. Even Hitomi's emerald eyes disappeared.

* * *

Yukari screamed. Amano rushed to her side. She pointed mutely out through the window of their hotel room. In the distance, a beam of white light rose into the sky.

"Hitomi..." she breathed.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Reviews are (as always) greatly appreciated!! 


	6. The Burglar and the Watch

...I heart Merle...

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Escaflowne...if I did, there would be more funny parts with Merle!!

* * *

A cool breeze drifted across her face, bringing with it a familiar smell. A delightful scent she thought she would never smell again. Hitomi drew in a deep breath and turned over as she relished in the refreshing smell of a Fanelia field.

_You're the one making Van and the others suffer._

Hitomi eyes shot open, and she sat up abruptly. The voice of Van's mother echoed in her mind for a moment, then vanished with the breeze. Hitomi slowly raised her gaze upwards. Earth and its moon hung innocently in the blue early morning sky. She smiled.

"I'm back," she whispered.

She looked around, taking in her surroundings. She sat in a shaded glade with a tall white memorial behind her. To her left, Escaflowne rose, solid and still. To her right, Hiko still slept. Van was nowhere to be found. Hitomi slowly stood and brushed the grass off her clothes, then knelt down beside Hiko and shook his shoulder gently.

"Hiko, wake up. It's Hitomi."

He groaned. He blinked slightly, then gradually opened his soft brown eyes. Blinking a few times, he shot up and started at her with wide eyes.

"Hitomi?" He stared at her, then saw Escaflowne behind her shoulder. "What the hell is going on here?!" he exclaimed.

She smiled slightly. "It's all right." She paused and debated how to best describe everything to him. "We're...we're not on Earth anymore. This world is called Gaea. I've been here before."

"That man. The man in red, he's from here, isn't he?"

"Yes. Van is the King of Fanelia."

"Van?" Hiko sighed and hung his head. "I knew I shouldn't have followed you to the track." He met her gaze apologetically. "I'm sorry, Hitomi."

"Good You're awake."

Hitomi turned around. Van jumped down from Escaflowne. He glanced over his shoulder at it one more time as he walked toward them, hand resting on his sword. They all turned at the sound of light, swift footsteps on the grass.

"LORD VAN!!!"

An energetic bundle of pink hair and brown fur collided into Van, sending him flying back a few steps. The tufted tail waved back and forth as a nonstop stream of words poured from her mouth.

"Oh, Lord Van, I've been so worried about you! When I saw the pillar of light, I just _knew_ you had gone back to the Mystic Moon, and everyone was so worried, but I knew you would come back, Lord Van, I just knew you would come back!" She stood up on her tip toes and licked his cheek. Van chuckled slightly and moved his face away.

"Oh, Merle..." he said amused.

Hitomi stood, and she heard Hiko clamor up behind her. She blinked in confusion as Hiko moved protectively in front of her.

"Stay back...whatever you are! Cat...girl...whatever you are, stay away from us!"

Merle turned to face him, her arms still flung around Van's neck. Her tail bristled dangerously. She took a step forward and put her hands on her hips.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

Hitomi raced around him, stood in between Hiko and Merle and raised her arms defensively. "Hiko, stop! This is Merle. She's a cat-girl and an old friend of Van's. She's my friend too." She dropped her arms and sighed. Hiko's brown eyes dimmed. Contritely, he bowed deeply.

"Please forgive me. I'm a little out of my element here." He raised his gaze to Van. "I don't believe we had a chance to properly meet. I'm Hiko Munama."

Van's maroon eyes narrowed slightly. "Van of Fanelia."

Merle huffed, then her gaze fell on Hitomi.

"HITOMI!!!"

Hitomi gasped as Merle attacked her, squeezing her to death. "Oh, I _knew_ Lord Van would bring you back someday!" When Hitomi finally was able to look at Merle face on, she was surprised at how much the cat-girl had grown up. Her face had lost the childlike look, and she could have passed as Naria and Eriya's younger sister. A new blue dress splayed out around her legs, capturing the blue of her eyes and complimenting the pink of her hair.

Merle inspected her as well. "Hey, your hair grew longer! You don't look so much like a boy anymore!"

Hitomi seethed at the insult and opened her mouth to yell at her, but Merle moved past her and blinked curiously at Hiko. Involuntarily, Hiko took a step back, staring at her ears and tail.

"Ooh," Merle breathed as she grabbed Hiko's wrist and stared intently at his gold watch. "That's really pretty," she said. Hiko watched her stare at his watch. A wicked grin crossed her face.

"I think I'm going to keep it!" Before Hiko could even protest, Merle had unfastened the clasp and grabbed the watch.

"Hey!" Hiko reached to grab it. Merle dropped to all fours, shot passed Van, and leapt up onto one of Escaflowne's shoulders. Hiko ran up to the base of the guymelef.

"Hey, give me back my watch!" he yelled.

Merle completely ignored him. She reached up and arranged her hair, then smiled down at the glittering watch. Hiko sighed deeply. "May I please have my watched back?" he tried.

"Merle?" Van said quietly. Merle instantly snapped to attention. Van gave them all a small smile. "Let's give them a room. We've all had a long journey." He turned and walked out of the clearing. Merle leapt down and ran past Hiko on all fours, scampering after Van. Hitomi gestured for Hiko to follow. Something tugged on her duffel bag. She grabbed at the strap, then cried out as Merle ripped the bag out of her grasp, giggling mischievously. The cat girl ran off.

"Merle! Get back here, you crazy cat-burglar! Cat-girl, give me back my duffel bag!"

Hiko could not help buy chuckle slightly as he jogged after Hitomi's running form, chasing the cat-burglar who had stolen his watch and her duffel bag.

* * *

Cheerful slants of afternoon light slanted through the window bringing with it a cool breeze, echoes of music, and remnants of conversations. The rebuilt palace of Fanelia was alive with laughter and people, and Hitomi sat in a chair in front of the window, simply basking in the warmth of the sun. She had finally rescued her duffel bag from Merle, which now rested empty on the bed, its contents strewn all over the room (also the work of Merle). Hitomi would clean it all up later; for right now she just wanted to enjoy the peace and warmth.

The blue roof spread out under her, shading the lower levels of the palace. Beyond that, the houses rolled out in an endless labyrinth of streets and marketplaces until they nestled against the emerald trees that marked the beginning of the dragons's territory.

A knock on the door interrupted her reverie. "Come in," Hitomi called. She turned and smiled as Hiko nervously entered, closing the door softly behind him. "Hey," he said softly. He raised an eyebrow at the junk strewn around the room.

"Merle," Hitomi explained. Hiko nodded, cleared a space on the bed, and sat down.

"Do you know what time it is?" he asked and then laughed, a little hollowly. "My watch has been...temporarily confiscated." His brown eyes dimmed.

A sympathetic smile worked its way to her face. "I'm sorry about all of this, Hiko. I didn't mean for you to get caught up in all of this..."

"It's all right. It's my own fault. I followed you when I shouldn't have."

He sounded so despondent and looked up at her with sad eyes. "Could you explain to me where in the world we are? And how we got here? And why?"

Hitomi turned her chair around so she faced him completely. Slowly, she took a deep breath and launched into the story. About having a crush on Amano. About asking him for her first kiss if she could run the hundred meters in thirteen seconds. About Van and the dragon. About Gaea and Fanelia and Zaiboch. About Escaflowne. About Allen and Asturia. About Freid. About Atlantis. And about the Gaea War.

"And then Van came back. And I started having visions again. ...I think something bad might happen to Gaea again. So we came back." Hitomi forced a small smile. "And that's where and how and why."

Hiko stared at her in shock. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply, and Hitomi watched as it all sunk in. Suddenly the door slammed open and Merle bounced in. Two ladies in waiting followed solemnly behind her.

"Hitomi!! Lord Van has organized a celebration dinner! We have to get you ready!"

"Celebration?" Hitomi echoed. "What are we celebrating?"

Merle rolled her eyes. "Your arrival, of course! Moron!"

"Oh, okay..."

Merle tossed something shiny to Hiko. He caught it awkwardly. "There," she said. "Now get out. We need to get her ready. Lord Van's sent servants to your room to help you too."

Hiko stood up clumsily, clutching his watch. "I guess I'll see you tonight, Hitomi," he said softly even as Merle was pushing him out the door. The cat-girl grabbed his sleeve and pulled him down towards her.

"Stay away from her," she whispered. Hiko's eyes widened in confusion, then the door closed behind him. He stood confusedly for a moment, shook his head, then headed back towards his own room.

Merle scampered over to Hitomi as the ladies in waiting cleaned up the room. "Who was that guy?" she asked energetically.

Hitomi wrung her hands a little. "Hiko Munama. He's a friend of a friend."

Merle's blue eyes narrowed. "He likes you."

"I know." Her voice sounded slightly depressed.

Merle's tail twitched, then she bounced up, clapped her hands, and beamed at Hitomi. "Okay, now let's get you ready!"

* * *

Van stared out the window as the first evening stars began to shine. He was dressed in his best, the royal blue robes of Fanelia, and Merle stood contentedly beside him. Hiko chatted with some of the other members of the court a little ways off. Van listened to the voices roll through the vast dining hall, listened to how the sounds of the band playing bounced and reverberated off the high ceiling. Couples danced across the floor behind him. And he waited. Waited for Hitomi to emerge from her room where two ladies in waiting had long ago gone to help her get ready.

"She was almost ready when I left, Lord Van," Merle reassured him. However, Van began to tap his gloved fingers on the windowsill, nervous and anxious. But his face remained placid and calm. Finally, the huge doors creaked open. Everyone turned to stare. Van's maroon eyes stared at the doors.

Hitomi glided into the room. She was dressed in a simple, elegant dark green and white dress. An matching green ribbon had been tied into her hair and brought out her sparkling eyes. She moved towards Van, Merle, and Hiko with a shy smile on her face. Slowly Van realized Merle was pulling him towards her, and as she met his gaze with that shy smile, he felt as if he were fifteen once again, staring at the girl who had saved his life time and time again.

Hitomi blushed. "Everyone's staring at me," she said quietly. Van opened his mouth to reply, but Hiko beat him to it.

"They all stared at me too. But they're all really nice."

Van could hear Merle snickering beside him. "Wow, Hitomi, they really dressed you up," she said. "You really _could_ be a handmaiden now!"

Hitomi seethed. "Merle...! Do you always have to be so obnoxious?"

"You sure whine a lot!" Merle shot back. Van nudged Merle, still staring at Hitomi.

"Ladies!" Hiko moved between them with a gentle smile. Van finally blinked out of his reverie. For once, he let a warm smile cross his face.

"Welcome to Fanelia. We are honored by your arrival," he announced courteously.

"Van..." Hitomi said softly.

He bowed before her, the blue robes sweeping around him. "Would you care to dance?"

A faint blush rose to her cheeks; she nodded shyly. Merle giggled. Van could feel Hiko's eyes on him as he led Hitomi out onto the dance floor with the other couples. And they danced.

"Escaflowne was asleep," he said quietly.

Hitomi looked guilty. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. My visions aren't normally wrong..."

"I'm glad you were wrong." She looked up at him gratefully and smiled.

"I'm glad too."

His maroon eyes glowed like embers. Hitomi felt herself falling, drowning in his maroon eyes. The music swelled around them, and everything else faded away. Her world consisted of him, her, the music, and their dance. Tendrils of darkness seeped into her view, curled around her, curled around Van. Hitomi started in fear. Van had disappeared, vanished into the darkness. She was all alone, and the fingers of darkness wrapped around her ankles, stopping the dance, yet the music continued on. The notes switched into a different key, turned darker, more evil. Hitomi looked around desperately for Van. Someone. Anyone. Anyone to save her from the darkness...

She saw a man in the darkness. Only for an instant. A tall, thin man with cold eyes that shook Hitomi to the core.

And the earth cracked beneath her feet. She felt herself slipping, falling...

"Hitomi!"

Van's concerned maroon eyes cut through the darkness. She was dimly aware of Merle and Hiko standing close by. Van held onto her and kept her from falling. She slowly gripped his arm and balanced on her own.

The huge doors banged open. Van whipped around sharply. Hiko steadied Hitomi. A Fanelian soldier rushed through the room. The music and conversations stopped. The soldier bowed in front of Van and held out an envelope.

"Message from Asturia, my lord. The messenger said it was urgent."

Van took the envelope and opened it. He read swiftly and silently.

"What is it, Lord Van?" Merle finally asked.

"It's a message from Millerna. She says there has been an insurrection in Zaiboch. She has summoned the rulers of all the countries to an international council in Palas. The Crusade will pick us up tomorrow."

Hitomi met his worried gaze. "We're coming too, Van," she said softly.

* * *

...doo da doo...Review?...Please?


	7. Reveries of a Traveler

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Escaflowne...

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

The journey from Fanelia over the Chatal Mountains was silent except for the occasional orders from the crew. After the initial greetings and introduction, hardly a word was spoken. Hitomi, Hiko, and Van and Merle all stared out three separate windows, contemplating their surroundings as an invisible blanket of foreboding hung over them.

Hitomi peered past her reflection in the window, but she did not really look at the mountains below her. Her eyelids hung heavy, and she fought to stay awake. All night, she had racked her brains, plagued by insecurities she thought she had buried long ago. The Crusade coming also meant the arrival of a certain golden-haired knight, and Hitomi could not make up her mind as to whether she looked forward to seeing Allen again or not.

After returning to Earth, Amano had left for England fairly quickly so Hitomi had been spared the uncanny resemblance he shared with the knight. Hitomi clicked her fingernails against the glass. When was the last time she had seen Allen? When he had caught her staring out at the rain, when he had told her that she was the most important thing in the world to Van. Hitomi cringed slightly and shook her head to rid herself of the thought. However, Allen was not on the Crusade. Gaddes had been named commander. When she questioned Allen's absence, Gaddes gave her a strange look. Apparently, he spent most of his time in Palas now, looking after Celena.

But Allen was certainly the least of her worries. Hitomi placed a hand to her forehead and sighed deeply. The visions were about to drive her crazy. And that man! That strange, cold man...She shivered. His eyes had cut through her, yet other than his eyes, he had been concealed in shadow. She glanced sidelong at Van, with Merle hanging off his arm. She had not had the chance to tell him what she had seen...

She had not had the chance to tell him a lot of things...

In her visions, the earth kept cracking under her feet, but this time, her angel had not come to save her. Hitomi laughed to herself. _Her_ angel. Yet even after so long, the moment she looked into his maroon eyes, the old feelings resurfaced. They were feelings she had tried so hard to bury for so long, tried to ignore existed. But, almost annoyingly, they had returned the moment she saw his sad face in the crowd while walking downtown. Van seemed to have the most impeccable timing. Every time she developed a crush on someone, he showed up to confuse her even more.

Hitomi sadly glanced at Hiko. He was so handsome, polite, and kind. A gentleman. But Hitomi knew she could not return his affections. Sometime soon she would have to let him know, let both of them know, how she truly felt. Hitomi leaned her forehead against the cool glass and sighed deeply.

* * *

Hiko peered past his reflection in the window and watched the passing landscapes fascinated. An intense awe filled him as the leviship drifted close to the huge and rugged mountains. The beauty of the world blew his mind. It was absolutely breathtaking. He paused in his train of thought. Admiring the world meant accepting it was real. When Hitomi had told him the long, incredible tale, he hardly dared to believe it. Surely he was dreaming. Any minute he would wake up in his apartment on Sunday morning, call Amano and Yukari, maybe go buy that glass dragon Hitomi had been looking at last night... 

He ran a hand through his hair. There was no getting around it. This place was real. And he would have to adapt, just as he had adapted to so many other situations. At least Gaea was beautiful and similar to Earth. Hiko shot a glance at Merle. Well, similar in geography, at least. He looked down at the watch on his wrist. It still worked fine, the digital numbers changing with every passing second. The cat-girl caught him watching her and hissed. He looked back out the window. She really did not like him. Maybe he could talk to Hitomi about her; it seemed like Hitomi's relationship with the cat-girl had had a rocky start too. But, then again, Merle had warned him to stay away from Hitomi...

Thank goodness for Hitomi. He did not know if he would be able to handle the shock of Gaea without her. She had been here before. Hiko wondered how she handled the shock that first time, when she was young and alone and confused. He shook his head slightly, glad he was older, wiser, and with her. Although she looked tired today, she had such a bright personality, and he was glad for her company. Her personality shone through everything, and he knew without a doubt he wanted to pursue a deeper relationship with her. But he was not blind. He could see why Merle did not want him near Hitomi.

Merle hoped that Hitomi would fall for Van. The cat-girl's sisterly protection of the young king made it plain to Hiko. And he had watched the king himself watch Hitomi when she did not know it. They seemed to have a strange relationship. From what he could tell, Van rarely spoke to Hitomi. But whenever Hitomi looked at the king of Fanelia, a light entered her eyes that told Hiko they had a deep connection, an understanding between them that he could not comprehend.

And yet he had never been one to give up easily.

* * *

Van peered past his reflection in the window, staring out into the sky. Merle hung on his arm, but she knew better than to start jabbering. Worry drifted like smoke through his eyes, and Merle stayed quiet, a silent support he thankfully accepted. The message from Millerna put fear in his heart, although he would never admit that out loud. 

An insurrection in Zaiboch. An insurrection by who? For what purpose? Since the Gaea War, various factions had established themselves throughout the Empire, each vying for power, each advocating a different political belief. But from what Van could tell, the country had recovered remarkably well. Many of the factions had vanished. Millerna herself kept careful tabs on all the occurred in Zaiboch in order to prevent another great war. So much effort had been put into _preventing_ an insurrection. Yet somehow it had occurred anyway.

The muscles in Van's face tensed. He could still smell the smoke, could still see how the flames leaped and flared, devouring his homeland. The fires flickered in his maroon eyes. He clenched his gloved hands into fists. He would not let that happen to Fanelia again. It would _not_ happen again. Not while he was king. Not will blood still ran through his veins. Not while he could still fight for his people. As Fanelia's king, he would protect his people. The attack on Fanelia had brought so much death and sadness. So much fear. So much hopelessness.

Van looked down at his hands. His people were extremely lucky. _He_ was extremely lucky. He had nearly died so many times. There was a flitting memory in the back of his mind, a memory that only resurfaced when he dreamed. He could dimly remember walking down a path full of other people, then he could hear Hitomi call his name. Next, there was a great tree...

If it were not for Hitomi, he would not be alive. She had saved his life time and time again. His eyes flicked to the girl standing at the window. The girl from the Mystic Moon. The girl who had visions. Van felt the worry return. It settled in his chest and tried to suffocate him. Hitomi's visions foretold trouble and sorrow. Something in Gaea was changing, and Hitomi could sense it. Van just hoped it would not bring about another war.

Van felt Merle tense on his arm. She hissed, and Van looked up to see what was the cause of her anger. He met Hiko's soft brown eyes for only a second. They all returned to their separate reveries, then looked up when Gaddes approached them.

"We have arrived in Palas," he said.

* * *

Sorry it's kinda short...and that nothing really happens...It's more of a filler chapter...But things start happening in the next chapter, I promise! Reviews are (always) appreciated!! 


	8. Gathering of the Nations

Thanks to all who reviewed! ...I have to thank my European History class for helping me with the council part...Yay for the Russian Revolution and the policy of appeasement...Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Escaflowne...wish I did, but I don't...

**

* * *

**Merle's tail twitched. Hitomi sighed and leaned against the bench, then brushed Merle's fluffy tail off her shoulder. They were not allowed in the council, and so they had to wait in the large, airy room. The bench faced a wall of windows which gave a wonderful view of the city and the ocean beyond. Seagulls fluttered through the air. Hitomi contemplated the diamond patterns of the tile floor. Hiko tapped his fingers on the wood of the bench as he curiously contemplated the still, emotionless faces of the guards.

_Like those guards in Buckingham Palace that Amano mentioned_, he thought. He suddenly stopped tapping.

"Oh!" Merle howled, jumping up from the bench. "I'm so _bored!_" Her blue eyes shone. "Can't we do something? I'm so bored of just waiting for them to come out! What in the world could they be talking about for so long?"

"Well, it's an important meeting, Merle," Hitomi replied. "An insurrection is a really serious—"

"Hey! I know!" Merle exclaimed, completely ignoring Hitomi. "Let's go shopping!"

Hitomi blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Shopping, silly! Millerna took us to the bazaar last time, but you acted really weird and our time got cut short. Let's go and enjoy it this time!"

Hitomi gabbled for words and shot a glance at Hiko. He merely shrugged. "Well, I don't know..." she finally got out.

Merle grabbed her arm and pulled, dragging her off the bench. "Oh, come _on_, Hitomi!"

"Wait a second!" Hitomi turned to one of the emotionless guards and bowed respectively. "If the council adjourns before we return, could you please tell Lord Van of Fanelia that we've gone to the bazaar?" The guard nodded stiffly, absolutely silent. "Thank you," she said. She turned, smiled at Hiko, and gestured for him to follow.

* * *

It all seemed so familiar. The Asturian council room. The conversation about Zaiboch. And yet Dryden was not there, and he was not bitter about his brother. Instead Van was worried. Worried about what the future would bring.

He scanned the gathering of the nations. Basram's president, the old kings of Daedalus, Cesario, and Ezgardia. Millerna, her hair shining in the lamplight, but the light also illuminated the shadows in her eyes. Her eyes had grown old beyond her years. Next to her, the blue-eyed prince and his new advisor. Chid gave him a wan smiled from across the table, and Van nodded to the young duke.

And finally Zaiboch's regent, Desiderius. He was a tall man only a little older than Van. Brown hair fell over sharp grey eyes that remained carefully fixed on Millerna. He had long, thin fingers. An international council similar to this one had chosen him to govern Zaiboch during the reconstruction period after the Gaea War. For years he had proven to be a reasonable, intelligent man open to criticism and change. But now...

"...The insurgents began a mass march in the streets at precisely one o'clock in the afternoon. They systematically occupied all major areas of communications until they were brutally suppressed by the guard on the orders of the regent."

Millerna sat down. Desiderius slowly stood, both hands flat on the table.

"Zaiboch requests a phalanx of Asturian soldiers to assist in the peacekeeping process. Otherwise, the insurrection has been put down and is under control."

"So be it," Millerna replied. "But such brutality cannot be allowed to continue. Although hopefully there will be no further trouble, future dispatches of the guard will adhere to preventative tactics, and all moves will be reported back to this council."

Desiderius bowed his head slightly. "Of course, princess."

"These insurgents, who are they? What is their goal?" Chid questioned.

"It was reported that the leaders of the insurrection are members of an underground group previously thought to have been eradicated. They wish to restore the Empire to its former glory by following the technology of Dornkirk." Chid looked startled. "Do not worry, Duke Freid," Desiderius continued. "I can assure you your country is safe. They are not interested in the Power Spot."

"How can you be so sure?" the president of Basram demanded.

Desiderius turned to him. "There has been no reported activity in the area in or around Freid or the Fortona Temple. Since the insurrection, I have established intelligence throughout the Empire to monitor the insurgents. All of their movements are reported to me."

"I would like to see a copy of these reports," the president said. The kings of Daedalus, Cesario, and Ezgardia nodded in agreement. Desiderius again bowed his head respectfully.

"Of course, gentlemen. All reports shall be provided to the council."

* * *

A burst of cool air full of sunshine greeted them. Seagulls shrieked as they swung skyward on updrafts, and an occasional white feather would float innocently to the ground below. Sparkling in the sunlight, the sea channeled its water into the canals of the city, and the sturdy bridges formed floating roads over the water. Merle dashed ahead, spinning and laughing in the warmth.

Hiko paused on one of the bridges, staring wide eyed at the sea. "It looks just like home," he murmured. Hitomi gave him a sad smile and placed her hand of his arm comfortingly. People crowded the streets as they drew closer to the bazaar. Soon the shouts of owners selling their merchandise filled the air, and the sounds of the Palas bazaar enfolded them.

They passed by stalls piled high with food, cloth, trinkets, and jewelry. Merle rushed to a woman selling beautiful cloth, and Hitomi looked over her shoulder, gazing at the elaborate silver embroidery on the cloaks and mantles. Hiko jumped in surprise as he passed a man with an eagle's head. He bumped into a woman and turned around to apologize. She peered out from under a mantle with slanted snake eyes. Apologizing, he stumbled away and backed right into one of the stalls.

"Watch where you're going!" a grumpy old man rasped. Apparently the owner of the stall, he stood from the small stool and began to rearrange the figurines and other trinkets on display. "You'll break something."

Hiko bowed slightly. "Sorry, it was an accident."

"You're not from around here, are you?"

Hiko shook his head. "No. No, I'm not."

The old man gave him a toothy grin. "First time in the bazaar?"

"First time in Palas, actually."

The old man nodded knowingly. Hiko watched as the old fingers methodically picked up the figurines Hiko had knocked over, righted them, and then rearranged them in a sequence that was pleasing to the eye. Curling black sea dragons looped around small cities, and seagulls perched on top of small carved wooden chest lined with blue velvet. Red and blue ribbons lined with lace slithered through the assortment of items for sale. Necklaces with hanging iridescent gold discs shimmered in the dull light. A small ivory statue of a woman with angel wings rested in the back.

The old man sat back down on the stool. "If you're not going to buy anything, get lost."

Hiko paused in indecision. "Could I see that angel, please?"

The old man glanced at the angel. "The Draconian, son?" He picked it up and placed it in front of Hiko. He leaned over to inspect it closer. The wings spread wide behind her, and a wind pushed back her hair and dress. Her arms raised as though she were about to leap up into the sky. Looking closely at her tiny face, Hiko saw she had beautiful features.

"She's beautiful," he said quietly. "The craftsman who made her must be very proud."

The old man scoffed. "I made her. But be careful, son. Don't let her beauty get to you. Don't you know anything about Draconians?"

"No." Hiko continued to stare at the figurine, inspecting her beautiful wings.

Chuckling, the old man shook his head. "Obviously. Draconians are the descendants and destroyers of Atlantis, boy. They bring death and destruction wherever they go."

Hiko looked up at the old man in surprise. "If they are so evil, then why make such a beautiful statue?"

The old man leaned forward conspiratorially. His old black eyes gleamed. "To make a tribute to what once was. A tribute to the beauty and perfection of Atlantis."

Hiko stared back at the Draconian woman. She seemed so free, so happy. "I thought Atlantis was an island that was swallowed up by the ocean," he said softly.

The old man laughed, a strange haunting sound that disintegrated into a cough. "You really don't know anything, do you, boy? I already told you, the greed of the Draconians destroyed Atlantis. Not some ocean." He coughed again. "And I believe I already told you that if you aren't going to buy anything, then get lost."

Hiko reluctantly tore his gaze from the white angel. His eye landed on several balls of fine, silky thread. "Could I see those, please?" He pointed. The old man grabbed one and tossed it to him. Hiko caught it awkwardly, making the old man chuckle again. The blue thread felt strange in his hand. The texture was a cross between silk and velvet, so that the deep blue color of the thread gleamed. It was a beautiful midnight blue that pulled in the eye and created a sense of depth, as if the color descended as deep as the ocean.

"I'd like to buy this." Hiko pulled a blue bill out of his wallet. "This should be more than enough, I think." He held the bill out to the old man who gave him a blank stare. The blank look swiftly turned to anger.

"What kind of trick are you trying to pull!" the old man demanded, his voice traveling around the bazaar. "What kind of money is this? This isn't money! Give me back my merchandise, you thief!"

Hitomi held up a deep red swatch of cloth, held it up against herself, and glanced into the small mirror on display. The woman who owned the stall gushed that the color suited her. She held up a pair of earrings for Hitomi to consider. Merle jumped up beside her to stare at the earrings in awe; the girls watched how they turned and twinkled in the light. As Merle continued to chatter about the beautiful jewelry and fabrics, Hitomi put down the swatch and glanced around the bazaar. She had not seen Hiko in awhile...

A glimmer of gold caught her eye. She turned around and scanned the crowd earnestly, searching. Hitomi left Merle chattering and plunged into the street. She chased after the glimmer, the short glance of gold and white. She moved around a group of giggling girls, pushed through twittering women. Finally, she reached a less crowded area.

A man moved out of her view, and Hitomi saw the long, golden hair. He had it tied back with a black ribbon, but there was no mistaking the bright blond strands. Hitomi was surprised to see him in a white shirt and black slacks, rather than the familiar blue. But as she stood confirming whether or not it was him, he continued to move away from her. When she finally blinked out of her daze, she realized he was climbing into a carriage.

"Allen!" she cried.

His head turned slightly so that she caught a glimpse of the bright blue of his eye. But then the carriage door shut, the curtains drawn, and he disappeared. The carriage drove off. Hitomi stood silently as emotions turned within her. She barely noticed when Merle scampered up beside her.

The cat-girl tugged on her sleeve. "Hitomi, I think Hiko's gotten himself into trouble." Hitomi blinked.

"Where is he?" Merle dragged her back the way she had come. Soon they came to the edge of a crowd. Merle latched onto her arm as Hitomi pushed their way to the front.

"Thief!"

Hiko panicked. A small crowd had gathered around to stare. He clutched the ball of thread tighter and involuntarily took a step back. "No...I have money...I mean..." He stammered and held the bill out to the old man who only reached for the ball of thread.

"Give me back my merchandise, you thief!"

"What's going on here?"

The crowd turned at the new voice. Hitomi and Merle jumped slightly in recognition. A woman in an elaborate lavender and white dress emerged from the crowd, her pale blond hair spilling over her shoulders. Everyone could see she was a lady of high birth, but her blue eyes held a wisdom beyond her years.

"This little thief tried to give me fake money!" the old man yelled.

Hiko noticed Hitomi in the crowd and gave her a desperate look. The woman pushed her way to the center of the circle with Hiko. Van and a young boy remained at the edge of the crowd.

"Here. I'll pay for it." The woman dropped several coins on the stall counter. The old man grabbed them. He glanced at Hiko.

"You got lucky this time, boy. Now for the third time, _get lost!_"

The crowd started to disperse. Hiko relaxed, the tension leaving his shoulders. He shoved the money in his pocket and turned to the woman. He nodded to her graciously.

"Hiko, are you all right? What happened?" Hitomi asked, jogging up to him. Merle popped up right behind her.

Hiko ran a hand through his black hair. "I'm not exactly sure. I wanted to buy this ball of thread, but when I tried to pay, the old man started yelling." He paused and looked down at the thread contemplatively. "I didn't realize he wouldn't recognize money from Earth."

Merle peered curiously at the thread in his hand. "Why did you want to buy a ball of thread anyway?"

"I thought you might like to play with it."

Merle's mouth dropped open, and she bared her claws. "Why, you—!"

Hitomi pressed her hand hard against her mouth to stifle the giggles. "Oh, Merle. Lighten up a little!"

Merle turned on her. "I will not! That's the last straw! He's becoming my new scratching post!"

"Hitomi? Is that you?"

They stopped arguing instantly. The voice was different, slightly deeper, but there was no denying the familiar innocence. Hitomi turned slowly to see a tall, thin boy standing before her. The sunshine gleamed on his short blond hair and caught in his bright blue eyes. He stood much taller than the last time she had seen him. He had grown up so much.

"Chid?" she finally asked. The boy's smile grew.

"Oh, Hitomi! It's so wonderful to see you again! When Van told me you had come back, I hardly dared to believe it!" His blue eyes sparkled. Van walked over to the group, and Merle latched onto his arm. The woman moved behind Chid.

Hitomi blinked a few times. "Millerna," she stammered.

Millerna smiled, but it did not dispel the shadows in her eyes. "Welcome back, Hitomi," she said warmly. "Would you care to introduce us to your friend here?"

"Oh, right." Hitomi pushed Hiko forward. "Hiko, this is Princess Millerna Aston of Asturia. And her nephew, Duke Chid of Freid. This is Hiko Munama."

Hiko bowed slightly. "Pleased to meet you," he said politely. "You made some really powerful friends," he whispered. Hitomi nodded.

Chid beamed at Hitomi, then glanced at Van. "Hitomi, are you here for good this time?"

Hitomi paled and stammered, glanced at Van and Chid. "Um...I'm not sure yet." Van blinked at that, his maroon eyes lighting up slightly.

"Did you girls find anything interesting?" he asked as he looked down at Merle. Merle launched into a long story about the fabrics and earrings they had found.

"How did the meeting go?" Hitomi asked Millerna. The princess sighed.

"Aunt Millerna?" Chid interrupted innocently. "Do you think Allen will be able to find us here?"

"I'm sure he will." Millerna gave Hitomi a comforting smile. "Chid wanted to see Allen while he was still in Palas."

"Oh." Hitomi looked down at her shoes. "I think I saw him," she ventured. "Here, at the bazaar. But he drove off in a carriage before I could be sure."

"He hasn't been at court for a long time," Millerna mused. "I heard that Celena had fallen ill, but I figured she would have recovered by now..."

"Princess!"

Millerna turned. A messenger ran up, panting hard. "A message from Lord Allen," he puffed. Millerna took the letter he held. She unfolded it and read it swiftly. Chid waited anxiously.

"He says he is sorry, but he will not be able to meet us. Celena is too ill for him to leave her alone."

Chid's smile vanished. Merle stopped in the middle of a sentence. "I hope she's all right," Hitomi said softly.

"Come on, Merle," Van said. "I'll buy you those earrings." He nodded to Millerna. "It's time for us to head home." Merle dragged him to the stall where the earrings were sold. Hitomi smiled at Millerna and Chid. It was good to see them all again, but Van was right.

It was time to return to Fanelia.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please review? 


	9. Pearlescent White Rose

Sorry so long about the time between posts! School loves to take over my life, and I had a hard time making everything work with this chapter. So if characters are a little out of character, I apologize.

About the bit of song at the beginning, I want to try to put a few lines from songs that apply to each chapter, starting with this chapter. Especially since this entire story was inspired by a song, I thought it would be a nice touch...

New character this chapter, Kanta. My friend, PrestigiousAngel, convinced me to put her in the story, so that's how Kanta was born. Don't worry, Kanta does serve a purpose later. I would like to know what you think of her (but please be nice!!). Thanks, and as always, reviews are greatly appreciated.

Enough of my rambling, on with the story! I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Escaflowne. I do claim Hiko and Kanta though. I don't own the song either...

**

* * *

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_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile..._

--- "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5

* * *

The air hung heavy with the scent of roses, and a cool breeze drifted gently across Hitomi's face. She set her teacup down with a clink and glanced to Van, his gloved hand buried in his raven hair as he poured over the stack of paperwork. Lists, maps, and detailed descriptions lay strewn across the breakfast table, and Merle watched her new earrings spin and twinkle in the light, a bored look on her face. Hiko munched on a piece of toast as he flipped the page of a book. Hitomi picked up one of the papers and skimmed a few lines. Details about the insurrection, the movements of the underground organization. She felt sorry for Van; he had to read and analyze all these pages. After Desiderius's messenger arrived with the great stack of paperwork, Van had locked himself up in his room to pour over it all. Merle had finally convinced him to get some fresh air. 

Two bright spots of light danced over the page, and Hitomi looked up. Light bounced off the crystals of Merle's earrings. Hitomi put the paper back on the table, and Van looked up from his work.

"Why did you buy those earrings if you're not even going to wear them?" Hitomi asked. Merle blinked at her.

"Because they're _sparkly_, that's why!" she explained, as if it were the most obvious reason in the world. She flicked her ears. "And besides, dangle earrings wouldn't look good on me."

Hitomi could not resist rolling her eyes, and Van smiled slightly. He lifted his arms above his head and stretched. Merle yawned, her tail waving back and forth.

"Oh, Lord Van, can we please do something? This is so boring!" she complained.

Van sighed and stared at the paperwork moodily. "I have to get through all this, Merle..."

"Maybe we could play a game?" Hiko suggested, looking up from the book.

Merle latched on to Van's arm. "Yeah, Lord Van! A game!" Her eyes narrowed at Hiko. "What kind of game?" she asked suspiciously.

Hiko shrugged. "Do you have a ball?"

"Of course," Van said.

"I'll get it!" Merle dashed off on all fours and disappeared around a corner.

"What are you thinking of, Hiko?" Hitomi questioned.

"How about soccer?"

Merle bounded back around the corner, a leather ball in her hands. She gave a guilty glance behind her shoulder, then grinned at Van. A group of children emerged behind her. The youngest little boy had to be only about seven, and the oldest girl was about eleven. They all shuffled their feet shyly, glancing down at the floor before smiling hopefully at Van.

"They want to play too," she announced simply. "Lord Van, catch!"

Van stood and caught the tossed ball in one hand. A small smile crossed his face. "Come on, let's go to the courtyard." He dashed off, kicking the ball, and the children ran after him, laughing and trying to steal the ball from him. Merle whooped, Hitomi and Hiko jogging behind. Hitomi giggled.

They entered an open courtyard. Van kicked the ball up high and far, and the children ran after it. "No fair, Lord Van!" one of the boys yelled. Hiko jumped in and stole the ball. He knelt down before the children.

"All right. You, you, and you," he said, pointing at a few of the children. "Let's work together as a team. We'll teach Lord Van to play fair." He grinned.

"Fine, then," Van replied. "Merle, Mina, Johannes, you're with me. Anyone else who wants to play, just jump in. First team to score ten points wins."

"You're on." Hiko stood, thwacked the ball across the courtyard, and the game began. Hitomi giggled, watching the children scurry around, both Van and Hiko maneuvering the ball so the children could score. Three of the girls stood on the sidelines to cheer, and Merle rushed in occasionally to steal the ball from Hiko and pass it to Van. Hiko aimed and kicked; Hitomi jumped up and grabbed the ball before it hit the wall.

"Nice catch," Van called. Hitomi grinned and tossed it to little Mina. Merle jumped in front of the little girl playfully until Van came and pulled on her tail. Merle turned on him, and he ran off, chuckling. Meanwhile, Mina finally made the shot, and Hiko missed the black. The cheerleaders clapped and yelled. Hitomi punched her arm in the air.

"Go Mina!" she yelled. She suddenly paused in her celebration and listened to a new sound, a sound she had never heard before. It drifted on the breeze, rose above the shrieks of delight from the children. Turning slowly, she beheld the source of the sound. He had pulled Johannes onto his shoulders, and Merle twirled around them. He turned to face her, his maroon eyes sparkling. And Van was laughing. Truly laughing and smiling wide, carelessly, as if he had no other care in the world. Hitomi could not help but grin back at him.

Hiko yelled out as the children attacked him, laughing, pulling him down until he fell to the ground. They all laughed heartily as they collapsed in a mass of limbs, the ball rolling innocently away, forgotten for the moment.

"Oh! Lord Van!" Mina ran up to him and bowed politely. "I'm so sorry. I forgot," she mumbled, her head hanging. "Lady Kanta told me she wants to speak with you. She said it's very important." Mina looked up with big eyes. "I'm sorry."

Van knelt down in front of her and put Johannes down. He smiled kindly. "Don't worry about it, Mina," he said, tugging on one of her braids. He stood slowly. All the children stared at him expectantly. "If you'll excuse me. Merle will take my place on the team. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Hiko restarted the game. Van strode past Hitomi without pausing, a serious look on his face; her eyes followed him until he exited the courtyard. The courtyard soon filled with children's laughter again. In the excitement of the game, Hitomi snuck away, snuck after Van.

Her conscience warned her with every step she took. _I shouldn't follow him...But I have to know..._ Hitomi set her face and pushed back the leaves of a tree. She peered into another small courtyard. Red roses hung heavily from the bushes. Van crossed the cobblestones to where a woman stood with a white rose. She turned and greeted Van with a sad smile.

"What's the matter, Kanta? Mina said it was important."

The woman glanced down at her feet, her rich brown hair falling forward. "Oh, nothing too serious, Van. Just the roses never came. This is the only one I could find."

Van took the white rose from her. He twirled it between his gloved fingers. "White roses. Why white, Kanta?"

Kanta smiled sadly. Hitomi blinked at the intense sadness in the woman's brilliant turquoise eyes. "For the feathers," she whispered. Hitomi gasped. Kanta turned her face away.

Van blinked in surprise. "Oh, Kanta, I'm sorry," he said softly. Th woman shook her head, forcing a smile while blinking back tears. Van dropped the rose and pulled Kanta into his arms. Hitomi felt a jolt of fear and panic rush through her. She could hear his voice whispering gently to Kanta, but she would not hear the words. Kanta held onto him tightly, the dropped white rose resting between them. Hitomi stared at the couple and felt her whole body trembling. Her heart throbbed painfully in her ears. She could not believe what she was seeing.

Pulling apart, Kanta forced a smile and sniffed. Van gave her a tender smile. He caught motion in his peripheral vision, and both he and Kanta turned. Hitomi's green eyes widened from behind a tree. She gasped, turned, and ran.

"Hitomi!" Van called, reaching a hand out. But Hitomi kept running blindly away.

* * *

She was ashamed of the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks as she ran. Shame burned on her cheeks. The shame of running away. The shame of spying on the couple. The shame of being jealous of Van's tender smiles, his soft tones. The cobblestones clicked under her shoes as she ran. Hitomi gritted her teeth and swallowed painfully, collapsing on a bench, staring at her shoes, gripping her hands until her knuckles turned white. She breathed swiftly. 

Hitomi's mind raced. The woman knew about feathers. Did that mean she had seen Van's wings? Her mind caught on one image, that of Van holding the woman tightly in his arms. Hitomi smiled cynically. Is this how Van felt when he saw her kissing Allen? Her heart squeezed inside her chest. She shook her head and let her hair fall into her eyes, blocking out the world around her. But her hair could not block out the now sickening smell of roses.

Footsteps penetrated her safe world. Hitomi blinked, took a deep breath, and shook the hair out of her eyes. She breathed in sharply. The woman stood patiently before her. The sun sparkled on the rich brown hair and illuminated the bright turquoise eyes. She had a pretty, round face, but she appeared to be several years older than Hitomi. Still young, she wore a long blue gown and held the white rose in her hands. She smiled softly at Hitomi and bowed her head politely. Yet the smile seemed fake, forced. Hitomi was struck by the deep shadows in the woman's eyes.

"You're Lady Hitomi, right? My name is Kanta."

Hitomi leapt to her feet. "I'm really, really sorry," she said. "I was completely out of line."

Kanta's soft laughter cut her off. "Don't worry about it. I know why you did it. And don't worry about that either." A twinkle dispelled the shadows in her eyes for a moment. "Van cares very deeply about you. He's like my little brother."

Hitomi blinked, dumbstruck. "Little brother?" she echoed.

Kanta nodded, giggling slightly. "I've known him since he was five." She gestured to the path before them. "Would you care to walk with me?"

The two women began to walk and talk. Finally, Hitomi drew up enough courage to ask the question burning in her mind.

"Kanta?" The woman turned to face her. "You mentioned something about feathers. Does that mean you know...that you've seen Van's...?"

"I know Van is half draconian, yes," she said softly, sadly. She stopped walking and fingered the pearlescent petals of the white rose. "But I have never seen his wings. I saw Folken's wings...a long time ago."

Hitomi stared at this woman, weighed down by an invisible burden of sorrow and regret. Softly, slowly, Kanta whispered her story. And as she spoke the words, Hitomi could see the people, the situations. As Kanta began to speak, a cascade of soft white feathers drifted down from the sky.


	10. Her Fallen Angel

I'M BACK!!! I hope y'all like this chapter. It's kinda like Memories of a Feather, flashbacks and stuff...

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Escaflowne...Just borrowing them all for awhile!

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_I am not a hero_

_I am not an angel_

_I am just a man_

_A man who's trying to love her_

_Unlike any other_

_In her eyes, I am..._

— "In Her Eyes" by Josh Groban

* * *

The waiting was horrible. Varie, Folken, Balgus, the other samurai, and the old advisors went into the conference room and did not come out for hours. Kanta, Van, and Merle sat anxiously outside. They were all considered too young to be allowed into the conference. Kanta swung her legs nervously. Van tapped against the bench. Merle snuggled up next to him, her tail curling and uncurling. 

"Van, stop that," Kanta said softly. Van grudgingly stopped tapping, drew his legs up to his chest, and proceeded to drum his feet on the bench. Kanta groaned and started pacing in front of the bench. She could not keep still. Merle's tail curled and uncurled each time Kanta walked past.

The doors to the conference room swung open. Kanta looked up excitedly, and Van and Merle hopped down from the bench. The samurai and advisors filed out without giving the children a second glance. Finally, Balgus exited with Varie and Folken behind him. Van ran forward, grabbing onto his mother's hand. Varie smiled down at him and Merle sadly. She placed her hand on his dark head.

"Van, my son, go with Merle and play in the gardens."

Van looked innocently from Varie to Folken. "Can Brother come with us?" he asked hopefully.

"Not right now, Van. Go play now." Van frowned, but he and Merle obeyed. They stopped halfway down the hall to turn and wave at Folken. Kanta nodded respectfully to Varie and Balgus, then turned to accompany the children.

"Kanta." She stopped instantly at Folken's voice. "Stay, please. They'll be all right on their own for once." He looked up at Varie, and Kanta had an overpowering feeling that something was wrong.

"Let's go outside. I need to talk to you." He took her arm and led her down the hall. Behind them, they could hear Varie and Balgus.

"Are you sure it is wise for him to tell her, Balgus?"

"If he is going to take this ordeal, he can make his own decisions from now on," Balgus replied.

Kanta inspected Folken's face as he led her out of the palace, through the gardens, and into the forest behind. The light and shadows mixed on his smooth face. The light flamed up like fire behind his crimson eyes, creating a sharp determination she had never seen before. He did not say a word. In all the years she had known him, she had never seen the prince this serious, this stern.

He led her to an open glade, shining and sparkling in the shafts of light, parts of the glade remaining hidden in deep shadow. Kanta looked around in curiosity as Folken moved away from her.

"What is this place?"

"It's where I come to think sometimes." He turned his head slightly so a lock of hair fell over one eye. "Things are changing, Kanta. I'm going to be leaving soon."

Kanta stared at his tall, proud back. She felt her hands trembling. "Leaving? Where are you going, Folken?"

He turned to face her slowly and spoke the words softly. "In a fortnight I will perform the task of dragon slaying, as part of the rite to become king."

She covered her mouth with her hand. She shook her head in disbelief, backed up several steps, trembling from head to foot. "No...Folken, you can't go..." she finally muttered. "You're too young for such a trial!"

"You sound like Mother. I'm glad at least Balgus has some faith in me."

Kanta dropped her eyes to the ground. "That's not what I meant, and you know it, Folken. We've been friends for too long. You know I have unshakable faith in you. I just don't understand the timing. It has already been years since King Goau died, and Queen Varie is managing everything fine. Why not wait a few more years until you're older?"

Folken's gaze pinned her. "You know fifteen is the age of maturity and the formal initiation into society. The age when a boy becomes a man. And for me that means becoming king." He shrugged and gave her a small smile. "I'm the prince. It's my destiny."

Kanta rushed forward and grabbed him in a hug. She felt him tense. "I'm so lucky to have you as my friend, Folken. Come back with the energist." She pulled back and beamed up at him. "I won't be able to call you 'Folken' anymore, will I? I'll have to be like Merle and call you 'Lord Folken.'" He chuckled with her. Something flickered behind his eyes, and she watched him thinking, weighing the decision. He pulled out of her embrace abruptly.

"Kanta, I have to show you something. Something only my family knows about. I want you to know too." Folken stepped back and pulled off his shirt. Fighting against the reaction, Kanta blushed prettily. Then she gasped in utter surprise.

Two brilliant white wings unfurled from his back, sending a flurry of white feathers floating around. They gleamed in the slanted, dappled light and spreaded out around him in a brilliant glory. Kanta stared in awe at the angel standing before her.

"Folken..." she breathed. "They're beautiful..."

"Mother told both Van and me to never show them to anyone, for fear we might be persecuted. But I had to show you." Something fierce entered his crimson eyes, a burning emotion that made Kanta's heart thunder in her chest. He took a deep breath.

"Kanta. I need to tell you something...and to ask you something. The timing may not be right, but I have to do it now. I may not have another chance."

"Folken..."

He pulled a small object out of his pocket. Opening his hand and without looking at her, he whispered, "Kanta, you're the best friend I've ever had, and I...I think I'm falling in love with you. When I return, I'd be...greatly honored if you would become my queen..."

The dappled light gleamed on the ring in his palm, the light setting the blue stone on fire. Kanta stood dumbstruck with her mouth hanging open. After a few moments, Folken nodded at her silence and moved to put the ring back in his pocket. Realizing his distress, she grabbed his hand quickly, took the ring, and slipped in on her finger. It glowed brightly.

"Of course I'll marry you, Folken," she breathed. "I...I think I'm falling in love with you too. We're young, but I've never been happier than when I'm with you." She gave him a beaming smile. "It that's not love, I don't know what is."

Relief flooded his eyes, and he smiled broadly. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. His wings enveloped her, protecting her. Her guardian angel.

* * *

"Folken is a traitor. He's a coward who ran away and abandoned his country!" 

"You're wrong! He is not! He is not a coward!"

_They are wrong. He's the bravest person I know. And he loves Fanelia. He loves this country with all his heart. He would never abandon it. He would never abandon Van and Merle...__He would never abandon me..._

The blue stone of the engagement ring glowed through the darkness. It glowed with the promises of love from a crimson eyed angel.

"Come away, Van. They don't know him the way we do. They don't understand."

"Rumor has it he ran away and left the country."

"I had a feeling he was too young to become king by the rite of dragon slaying..."

"You there! I won't have that kind of rumormongering!" Balgus turned to Van, a slight smile on the samurai's face. "Don't worry, Prince Van. Prince Folken will surely return, I know he will."

He promised he would come back. Nothing would keep him from his family, the country he adored...and his bride-to-be. He promised to build Van a world of peace...

* * *

Varie emerged from the council chamber looking shell-shocked. "We need to build a memorial. For the both of them..." 

Van and Merle looked up from their drawings and exchanged concerned, albeit innocent, glances. "Build it in the gardens," Van suggested with a smile.

Kanta gathered the pencils and pieces of paper. Late afternoon sunlight flittered on her rich brown hair. "No," she said softly. "In the glade behind the palace. Build it there."

* * *

Van beamed in an attempt to be strong. His mother knelt before the great memorial, her whole body trembling as she fought to keep the tears back. 

"Don't cry, Mother," he said happily. "I'll take my brother's place and be a strong king. I'll be a strong man, just like my father." Varie chocked on tears, and Van's eyes flickered. Maybe he should not have mentioned his father and brother... "Mother? It'll be okay, I promise!" Despite himself, he felt tears welling up. "Please, Mother...!"

* * *

Queen Varie never left the chair by the window. She barely moved, rarely spoke. Tears slipped silently down her cheeks. Van looked up at Kanta with his innocent, childish eyes. 

"What's wrong with Mother? Is she sick?"

Kanta gave him a weak smile, took his hand, and led him out. "Yes, Van. But it's something the physicians can't cure. She's sick of heart."

Van's big eyes glowed like fire. Kanta bit down on her bottom lip. For a moment, he had Folken's eyes with Folken's determination.

"Is there anything I can do, Kanta?" he questioned.

She stopped abruptly, kneeling down to be level with him. "Be strong for her, Van. We're all going to have to grow up now." She hugged the little boy tightly, then stood back up. A silver tear escaped down her cheek.

She accepted now what Varie denied. Folken was not coming back. Her lost angel was gone forever.

* * *

The door clicked; Kanta held a hand in front of her mouth as she yawned. Darkness greeted her, the soft glow of a dying candle flickering precariously on the wall, throwing the shadows into patterns as delicate as a spider's web. Running a hand over her face, Kanta sighed deeply and pulled the ribbon from her hair, ready for sleep. 

The candle erupted into life. Half of her father's face glowed, the other half thrown into deep darkness. An orange spark gleamed strangely in his illuminated eye.

"Where have you been, young lady?"

"Prince Van wanted me to stay with him until he fell asleep—"

"It's not your job to babysit the prince. The queen hires and pays maids to take care of that. It's not your responsibility, Kanta," he said sternly.

She raised her hands in explanation. The ring glowed dully in the dim light. "I don't mind it, Father. Actually, I enjoy it. Van and Merle are—"

Her father rose swiftly form the chair and gripped her left wrist. Kanta instinctively stepped back and tried to pull away, her hand convulsing in his iron grip. His eyes burned in the light of the candle.

"I heard rumors that he proposed before he left...I had my suspicions, but I never dreamed you would accept such an offer..." he whispered strangely.

"Father...?"

His eyes hardened dangerously as he examined the blue ring. "That's the royal emblem, all right." He pinned her with his eyes. "You accepted an offer of marriage from that half breed?!"

Kanta jerked away, shocked. "Father, what are you saying?!"

He completely ignored her, raging. "You're a noble woman of Fanelia!_ I_ am a lord of Fanelia! You would bring shame upon this family by entering into _that_ family?!"

"What's wrong with Folken's family? He's the prince!"

"The woman's a witch! She's a Draconian bitch who has brought nothing but disaster upon this country! And her half breed sons! They go gallivanting with wolf-men and cat-girls!"

"Rohm and Merle—"

"They're _animals_, Kanta! They're animals! And that half breed is a coward and a traitor!"

Kanta stood flabbergasted. "Folken, Father! His name is Folken! And he's not a coward! He's—"

Her father suddenly clutched her chin and smacked her cheek with his knuckles. She bit down on her lip, struggling to keep her eyes from streaming. She shrieked; he ripped the ring from her finger and hurled it across the room.

"He is a traitor. He is cursed, daughter. You owe that boy nothing. You are a noble woman of Fanelia. You are above his...animalistic affections."

He left in a cloak of darkness, and Kanta collapsed to the floor. Crawling on her hands and knees, she scrambled desperately across the floor, searching. Finally, she grasped the cold metal and held the ring preciously to her chest. In her father's prejudice, it made him blind to the beauty she alone saw in the memory of her angel's white wings.

The tension mounted throughout the years. On her eighteenth birthday, she moved into a small compartment in the palace, away from him. He died soon after. Althought Kanta organized his funeral, she shed no tears.

* * *

She disappeared one night. A single white feather rested on the windowsill. Balgus went to look for her but returned with darkness covering his eyes. Varie never returned. The people held a funeral, and Kanta and Merle watched from the sidelines as Van stood small and trembling beside Balgus's tall girth. The little boy looked lost and alone.

* * *

Kanta stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her own face was foreign to her, her eyes older than the rest of her face. In the wavering candlelight, she saw the outline of a white feather float down by her right shoulder, but when she turned, only darkness greeted her. She sighed dejectedly and wiped at the shadows under her eyes and put on a smile. Running her fingers through her hair, she blew out the candle and headed out. The cool night air made her shiver as she joined Merle and Balgus behind the palace. Van stood steady, gently stroking the neck of his horse. He almost blended into the darkness with his raven hair and new dark armor. Only his maroon eyes gleamed brightly. Merle clutched at Kanta's arm worriedly, and the cat-girl's ears drooped. 

"Lord Van," Balgus declared. "Remember your training. Charge aggressively, and you will succeed."

"Yes, Balgus."

"Lord Van?" Van's face softened as he turned to Merle. She flung herself at him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Be careful, Lord Van," she said, her voice muffled against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled softly.

"Don't worry, Merle," he murmured. "I'll be back in a few days." He finally detached himself from Merle, who stood miserably to one side. Kanta hugged Van. He gave her one of those looks that reminded her so much of Folken. His maroon eyes held a stern determination as he mounted the horse, waved, and galloped off. He vanished into the forest just like his brother had so many years ago to complete the task of dragon slaying as part of the rite to become king. Kanta only prayed that this time the outcome would be different.

* * *

"Prince Van! Prince Van's back!" 

The shouts floated across the marble balcony, filtered through the gossamer curtains, and finally crept up Kanta's vanity to her ears. She dropped the hair ribbon instantly and dashed onto her balcony, the curtains flinging outward in her haste. People rushed through the streets to the gates with whoops and exclamations. She saw a small figure with coal black hair leap down. Grinning, she saw that Rohm had brought the prince of Fanelia home. After a few minutes, the small figure that was Van held up his arm, and something bright flashed within his gloved hand. Kanta pressed her hand against her lips and blinked rapidly, wondering why she suddenly felt like crying. Relief flooded through her as the sun caught on the energist. Returning to her room, Kanta picked up the blue ribbon and slowly wove it through her hair. She smiled at her reflection and laughed out loud.

Soon, Kanta heard the story of Van's dragon slaying and of the girl from the Mystic Moon. The women said the girl was strange, with weird clothes made of a foreign fabric and short chopped hair. Kanta ran her fingers through her own hair. She could not imagine her hair short. But she prayed the girl would be all right, so far away from home with no one to comfort her...

She and Merle helped Balgus prepare the celebrations for the coronation ceremony. Only the best for the new king. And Kanta ordered white roses because the pearlescent petals reminded her of soft white feathers that once floated through the emerald glade.

Kanta grinned in earnest. Van slowly rose in the deep blue royal robes, and the elders presented him with the sword of kings. The blue scabbard gleamed in the dying light.

Shouts from the crowd below interrupted the ceremony. Balgus hurried forward, and Van trailed behind him. Kanta glanced to her left and caught sight of the girl from the Mystic Moon, hanging back nervously.

"It's a Zaiboch attack! We're under siege! Get the women and children to the mountains!"

Kanta heard no more. Balgus started shouting orders. Van and the girl from the Mystic Moon ran off to the shrine. Everyone started running and shouting. The generals went out in the guymelefs. Kanta trembled, watching smoke rise from the city. Finally, yells forced her to blink, and she turned and ran. At some point, she joined the rest of the women and children. The sounds of swords and screams followed in her wake; the very air radiated with heat, fear, and confusion. Night began to fall as they began the trek up the mountain. Gasping, Kanta stopped and looked down at the city. An explosion of fire lit up the night, and the reflection of the flames shone in her turquoise eyes. Kanta stood in shock, noise and movement faded away as she watched Fanelia burn.

"Lady Kanta! Hurry!"

An arm grabbed her and steered her away. Smoke caused her eyes to stream, and the fires crackled loudly in her ears. Blindly, she moved with the crowd up the mountainside.

"Merle?" she cried. "Merle? Where are you?"

Children wept around her. Finally, they reached a bend high on the mountain, high above the burning city. Everyone stopped and gasped; a bright pillar of light suddenly cut through the sky. Merle stumbled away from the crowd. Kanta watched the light from the fires play on the cat-girl's pink hair.

"I don't believe it," she muttered stunned. "_LORD VAN!!!_"

Kanta chocked on tears. Merle's desperate scream pierced through the night. And the crackling of the fires continued ceaselessly.

* * *

The clatter of teacups and the shrieks of gulls filled her days. Her Asturian aunt fawned over her, but Kanta floated through the house like a lost ghost. Her spirit wandered, and during night, she restlessly dreamed of her homeland. Then that brought dreams of fire and pillars of white light and Van's maroon eyes. Her aunt eagerly brought her news, but stories of the King of Fanelia and the girl from the Mystic Moon only made her worry more. 

When she went to the bazaar with her aunt, she sought the crowd for the shine of light on wild ebony hair. She turned her eyes constantly toward the palace, and the announcement of Princess Millerna's wedding only mildly assuaged her fears. Kanta bought a new dress for the occassion and joined the crowd with her aunt to watch the ceremony. The beautiful Princess Millerna glided down the aisle in her glittering blue and gold wedding gown, and Lord Dryden accompanied her, his long brown hair gleaming in the light. The seagulls soared above them, squawking. Kanta bowed her head as they passed.

When the couple mounted the steps and knelt, the elders placed the golden staff between them. The music ceased, and presently, the elder's voice rang out over the assembly.

"Ye wise children of Asturia, a land blessed with rich wind and water and embraced by both the sun and the moon. This day bears witness to a blessed event..."

Kanta's mind began to wander, her eyes pulled toward the blue of the sky. The fluffy clouds meandered by, the wisps reminding her of falling feathers...She gasped as a brilliant beam of pink light shot through the sky. Her turquoise eyes widened.

_I've seen that before...in Fanelia..._

"Stop!! Don't kiss!!!"

Kanta jerked her attention to the red carpet. The girl from the Mystic Moon pelted down it, yelling for Dryden and Millerna to stop the ceremony. Just as the bride and groom leaned forward, the girl tripped on the stairs. And the couple kissed.

The palace immediately plunged into darkness. A great black circle moved in front of the sun. The crowd moved restlessly, whispers flying swiftly.

"What? What's happening?"

"An eclipse?"

"This is an ill omen!!"

"It's a Zaiboch floating fortress!"

A guymelef smashed into the area. The crowd screamed, moved away. Women jostled into Kanta; her aunt disappeared in the crowd. Kanta floundered, jerked her head up at a crack. Lightning struck the tower and destroyed half of it in an instant.

"It's an enemy attack!"

Kanta wept, the tears streaming down her face as the crowd surged, pulling her along. _No...no, not again...!_ Catapults creaked, and cables snapped. She screamed. The wall in front of her collapsed. Falling to her knees, Kanta crawled into the wreckage and huddled, sick with fear. The guymelef flickered evilly in firelight, the silver hair gleaming. The edges of the sun blazed around the floating fortress, and Kanta whimpered as a great white dragon rose into the eclipse, then plummeted to the ground.

"Van!" she screamed.

She jerked back and threw her hands in front of her face to protect herself from the debris. The Escaflowne crashed into the ground, and the two guymelefs, one silver and one gold, surrounded it. Kanta pressed her hand to her mouth, fighting back hysteria. She could catch a glimpse of Van's red shirt among the hard metal of the guymelefs. Her heart pounded in her ears.

"Attention, people of Asturia. We are the Zaiboch Intensified Luck Soldiers. I repeat, attention people of Asturia. We are the Zaiboch Intensified Luck Soldiers. Resistance is futile. Horrible misfortune awaits any who dare oppose our luck. We have but one demand: Hitomi Kanzaki, the girl from the Mystic Moon. If you wish to avoid further misfortune, hand over Hitomi Kanzaki at once!"

Kanta's heart stopped, then pounded even faster, so swiftly she thought it would burst. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes shot instantly to the source of the voice, the floating fortress.

"Folken..." she chocked. She would know his voice anywhere. A thousand thoughts rushed through her head; memories and emotions bombarded her relentlessly until she curled up tighter, breathing heavily and tears flowing, staring up at the floating fortress in the sky.

A figure in green and brown caught her eye. The girl from the Mystic Moon rushed to the center of the wreckage, her arms held wide. "I'm the girl from the Mystic Moon!" she shouted. "I am Hitomi Kanzaki!! If you want me, here I am!"

The girl yelled. An arm of liquid metal from the guymelefs snagged around her waist, lifted her high into the air. Van lashed out his sword and hurled himself toward the guymelefs.

"Hitomi!! Hold on, I'm coming!" he yelled, kickong off the guymelefs. Kanta half stood up, fear for him filling her. Hitomi reached for his hand; he practically flew through the air to her.

"He's going to get her!" Kanta breathed.

The arm of the guymelef smacked Van in the stomach. Kanta yelled as he shot back. Hitomi cried out. Sunlight cut sharply through the air. Looking up, Kanta saw the floating fortress moving across the sky. The light hit the guymelefs, and the two intensified luck soldiers suddenly stiffened and staggered. Chocking gasps filtered from the control chamber. Hitomi looked up in confusion, then yelled in surprise as she was suddenly released. Van rushed forward, but a blond knight reached her first and caught her in his arms. The guymelefs moved brokenly, then launched into the sky. They disappeared into a trail of white smoke, and Kanta crawled from her hiding place, trembling uncontrollably. She surveyed the wreckage in horror.

* * *

Numbly, she stumbled across the fields, down to the rolling sea. She lost her shoes a long time ago, and the skirt of her dress hung in tatters around her scratched legs. Ripping the ribbons from her hair, she left a trail of wreckage to mirror the destruction of Palas. The light from pale stars drowned in her shadowy, unblinking eyes. She drifted like a ghost and only paused when the cold water drenched her feet. Turning her face to the sky, the sloshing of the water soothed her ears. Calmly, she stepped out of the water and sat down on the soft sand of the beach, watching the perpetual motion of the waves. Thoughts no longer filtered through her numb mind, only the soft throbbing of the sea. Kanta sat for hours and stared out at the water. Slowly, the edge of the horizon lightened, and the first thin fingers of the sky reached across the white sky. 

Kanta started, blinked. A great white dragon swooped in the sky, and she instantly leapt to her feet. The white armor headed away from her; the floating fortress materialized on the horizon. The Escaflowne flew straight for it. Kanta placed her hands to her mouth.

"VAN!!"

Her desperate scream jerked through the air, but the dragon continued to travel away from her. She felt tears well up and spill over.

"Van!! _Come back for me!!!_"

Wailing, she collapsed back to the ground, sand clutching her pale legs. She reached up and smudged the tears from her eyes, sniffing shamefully. Loneliness, fear, and shock rose in her chest, suffocating her, as she stared at the floating fortress through bleary eyes.

She screamed. The fortress exploded, great balls of orange flame leaping from the base. A burst of wind tore at her tattered dress; she rushed forward into the water, eyes wide and sparkling with terror. The fortress descended, collapsed, burned.

"_Van!!_" Kanta paused, then realization hit her. "_Folken!! _Folken, no!!" She placed a hand to her mouth. "Not again," she murmured through her fingers. "I won't have you leave me again. Not after I just found you!"

The ocean opened up, a great mouth, to devour exploding fortress. A white dragon shot out from the wreckage, then smashed into the beach on the other side of the harbor. Kanta squinted against the bursts of flame and the slanting light of dawn. Gleaming in the sunrise, a guymelef escaped from the forsaken metal. A guymelef that glinted with silver hair. Turquoise eyes widened.

"Folken..."

She sprinted off. The blood rushed fresh through her veins. Memories from her childhood danced on the edges of her mind and whispered in the wind blowing against her ears. Sparks from a blue engagement ring flashed in the corner of her eye. Her aunt's villa rose from among the trees, and Kanta dashed into the stables. Without a second thought, she mounted the swiftest horse and charged from the stables.

* * *

Folken emerged from the guymelef just as evening draped over Fanelia. He stood in the rubble of what used to be the palace. Despondently, he ran his hand over a broken piece of wall. 

"Even this land of Fanelia is guarded by dragons and has been destroyed by the same hand that was born of those dragons." He paused and glanced back at the shining guymelef. "Naria...Eriya..." he breathed. He closed his eyes, sucked in a deep breath, and turned his face to the stars.

"Will somebody tell me why my wishes never come true?"

He wandered through the destruction. His mind cleared as he approached his secret place, the glade where he used to go to think as a young man. He started in surprise at the pearly white memorial. A thin smile crossed his face. He turned and headed into the forest to find Rohm. As his brother's hard eyes burned in his memory, he knew he needed to speak with Van, face to face.

* * *

Kanta followed the dissipating white smoke of the guymelef. Tendrils of doubt curled, warning her that she did not know for sure that the guymelef she chased carried her childhood friend. But once she realized the destination, her eyes hardened in confidence. However, the longer she rode, the more her mind filled with the fog of confusion. 

_Attention, people of Asturia. We are the Zaiboch Intensified Luck Soldiers._

_Rumor has it he ran away and left the country..._

_He is a traitor. He is cursed, daughter. You owe that boy nothing._

When she was young, she could never believe that the rumors were true. But then, Folken's own voice confirmed those rumors. _We are the Zaiboch Intensified Luck Soldiers..._ Zaiboch. Kanta shook her head and urged the horse faster. No matter what, he was still Folken, and she retained an unshakeable faith in him.

Night hung across the sky and covered her in its soft, velvety fabric. Her horse panted, and she slowed him, dismounting slowly. Carefully, she tied the horse to a tree and patted his neck, thanking him for serving her. Then she turned, lifted a tree branch, and moved out into the clearing. The white monument gleamed magnificently to her right, illuminated by sharp beams of moonlight. A strange peace settled over her as she surveyed the mottled memorial. She turned her head slightly and imagined a young man, just barely fifteen, standing in the center of the clearing. He bowed to her with smiling crimson eyes, and she bowed her head back. She watched him quietly; he pulled off his shirt and let great white wings spread wide.

Kanta blinked, and the boy disappeared. In his place, a man entered the glade, shrouded in shadow. He ducked his head under a tree branch and looked up, then stopped abruptly upon seeing her. A slight breeze shook the branches above them, and the shadows on his face moved as well. He stood taller, stronger, his hair fell different around his shoulders, and a purple teardrop had been tatooed below his right eye. But Kanta recognized those crimson eyes instantly.

Folken smirked and strode across the clearing. She watched him move, and he looked her over, from her bare, scratched feet to the tattered dress to her wild, unkempt hair. But even her wild appearance could not take away the calm serenity he found in the curve of her beautiful face. The moonlight hit on the twinkling turquoise eyes that he remembered so well.

"You followed me here?" he asked quietly.

Kanta jumped slightly at his voice. She reveled in the sound for a moment, hardly daring to breathe. "Y–Yes," she stammered.

He turned away from her, still smiling slightly. "Why did you come, Kanta? What do you expect to gain from this encounter?"

Kanta looked down at her feet. "When I realized you were alive, I wanted to see you again, Folken."

"I am not the Folken you remember. That Folken died long ago. I am Folken Strategos of Zaiboch now." He lifted his right arm, a metallic clawlike thing and clutched the fingers into a fist.

Kanta walked so she stood in front of him and looked up into his face. She reached behind her neck and unclasped the necklace. Holding it out to him, the moonlight caught on the blazing blue engagement ring. "I know it is too late for us to pick up where we left off," she said softly, "but I want you to know that I have never lost faith in you. Whatever reasons you have for joining with Zaiboch, you believe that you are doing right, and I respect that. I have always loved you, Folken. And I always will."

The necklace hung between them, shining in the light. Folken's eyes widened as he watched the jewel spin in the air.

"You kept it?" he breathed. "After all these years, you still held onto the hope?" He shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Kanta. I wish we could go back. But my time here is almost over."

Kanta's eyes clouded with confusion. She gathered the necklace into her hands. "What do you mean?"

Silently, he stepped back from her, and unbuttoned the black shirt. Kanta started to grin in anticipation of the shining white wings, then gasped slightly as two ebony black wings burst from his shoulders. The black feathers fluttered around her, and she stared with wide eyes.

"Your wings---"

"It means my life is coming to an end," he said gravelly. He looked up at her, and his crimson eyes hardened with a sharp determination. "But before that happens, I intend to atone for my many sins. I will correct my wrongs. My wrongs to Fanelia, my wrongs to Van, and my wrongs to you, Kanta."

Tears pushed at her eyes as she stood before this misguided man. Her fallen angel. The ebony feathers turned silver in the moonlight before they slowly floated to the ground.

"I have sent a message to Van," he continued. "He should arrive by tomorrow." The shadows darkened his face. He quietly gathered her up into his arms. She clung to him.

"Please, Kanta, live your life. Be safe."

He pushed her away, and the wings vanished. Kanta stumbled slightly, wiping at her eyes. With a slight smile, she returned the necklace to her throat. Folken led her to her horse, and the couple stood silently for a moment.

"I have faith in you, Folken," she said.

He smiled, but the shadows did not leave his eyes. "I'm glad you came, Kanta. Thank you for being my friend," he replied. Leaning down, he softly kissed her forehead.

Kanta rode swiftly away from the clearing. She turned around only once, just to see Folken raising a hand to her in farewell. She parted from the man she loved so they both could live their separate lives. She knew in her heart that he would succeed in his atonement, and in doing so, he would fulfill the promise he made to Van long ago.

He would help build a world of peace.

* * *

Late afternoon sunlight blazed across the Fanelia gardens. Kanta fingered the petals of the white rose contemplatively. Hitomi sat on a bench, breathing deeply as the image of the woman's story rolled over her. Finally, her mind's eye cleared, she blinked, and she looked up at the tall woman in awe. 

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

Kanta shook her head, her rich brown hair sparkling in the sunlight. "It was our fate. It made me stronger. And he atoned for his sins." She gestured to the gardens and the palace beyond. "Look at what he helped to build!" She twirled the white rose and smiled. "Around this time every year, I like to honor his memory by decorating the memorial with white roses. Only this year, the order of roses never came. I hope you'll get to see it. It's always so beautiful."

Hitomi gasped. As Kanta turned to smile at her, the woman's face contorted. The rose died, the petals falling to the ground one by one like shriveled white feathers. Hitomi tried to jerk away, but she remained rooted to the bench. Kanta's hair paled to blonde, and Hitomi's eyes widened as she finally recognized the new woman standing before her. Celena Schezar wobbled precariously, her face flushed, and her eyes flickered strangely. The bright blue of her eyes wavered; Celena screamed. Red flooded her pupils, and Hitomi slammed her hands over her ears as a maniacal cackling burst from Celena's mouth.

"_Burn! Burn!! BURN!!!_"

Darkness and flame erupted around her. Hitomi screamed.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading!! Please review?? 


	11. Brother and Sister

Whew, goodness, this chapter is...interesting. I hope y'all like it!! Yay, we meet Celena...and so therefore Allen as well. ...I really don't care for Allen (since he competes with Van for Hitomi's affections, and I just love Van too much!!), but I'm trying to be extra-special nice to him...trying to keep him in character, like everyone else!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Escaflowne or the song. (I thought this song fit particularly well...)

* * *

_Long lost words whisper slowly to me_

_Still can't find what keeps me here_

_When all this time I've been so hollow inside_

_I know you're still there_

— "Haunted" by Evanescence

* * *

Van immediately ordered the dispatch of one of Fanelia's leviships. Early the next morning, he, Hitomi, Merle, and Hiko climbed aboard. For the second time, they flew over the Chatal Mountains to Palas. Kanta stood below and waved, although a concerned look would not leave her face.

Hiko curiously wandered about the ship, but Hitomi could not bring herself to explore with him. She sat nervously on a bench near the windows with Merle curled up beside her, asleep. On Merle's other side, Van sat calmly, staring quietly out in front of him. He pulled one leg up and hugged it to his chest. Hitomi watched the dark hair fall into his face and wondered what thoughts flickered behind the maroon eyes.

"Van?" she ventured softly.

He blinked and turned to her. "Hitomi?"

She chewed nervously on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry about this, Van. I keep dragging you away from Fanelia for visions that might not even be right—"

Van's eyes widened. She kept her eyes fixed on her hands, her light brown hair covering her emerald eyes. She looked guilty, like a child caught sneaking candy. He tried to smile softly at her but only managed a smirk.

"Don't worry about it," he replied. "Kanta can run things while I'm gone."

Van cursed himself as soon as the words left his mouth. His voice sounded haughty and arrogant. Hitomi nodded slowly and turned away from him. Van panicked and glanced down at Merle, fast asleep between them. Merle would know what to say. She always had _something_ to say. She would be able to find a way to bring Hitomi out of this depression and make her eyes light up again. He sighed despondently, let go of his leg, and sat up properly.

"Hitomi? What did you see again?" he asked quieter, gentler.

Hitomi looked sidelong at him. Suddenly he seemed stressed and tense. Smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt, she took a deep breath. "Kanta and I were talking, and then suddenly Kanta turned into Celena." Unconsciously, she bunched her hands in the fabric of her skirt as she remembered the vision. "She looked sick and feverish, and then her eyes turned red. ...I—I could hear Dilandau laughing..."

Hitomi shook her head, letting her hair fall into her eyes. She jumped; Van's hand rested awkwardly on her shoulder. She looked up into maroon eyes and a soft smile.

"It's going to be all right," he promised, removing his hand.

They leaned back into their separate reveries, and Hitomi let a smile grace her face. Merle's ear twitched in her sleep, then she started squirming. Hitomi giggled slightly and moved to avoid the waving tail. Merle shifted position, latched onto Van's arm, and murmured softly.

"What do you think she's dreaming about?" Hitomi asked with a smile.

Van shook his head. "No idea." He tugged his arm, but Merle only grabbed onto him tighter. He sighed in defeat. "But it looks like I'm her prisoner." Van tried once more, then winced. Hitomi looked up in alarm. "Her claws," he explained, flexing the muscles of his arm. He leaned back against the wall as Hitomi giggled again.

She studied his serious face, and her mind whisked back to just a few days prior. She had heard him laugh, truly laugh, for the first time. Playing with the children, he seemed so happy and carefree. Hitomi knew she wanted to see him like that more often. Her eyes fell on a blue sack beside his thigh. She leaned over Merle curiously.

"What's in the bag, Van?"

He held it up with his free hand. "Oh, this? They're _glar_ leaves. You said she looked feverish, right? If we get there and Celena really is sick, then these might help with the fever."

* * *

The carriage clattered down the road, plunged into the forest, and left the screeching seagulls of Palas's harbor behind. Bouncing against the cushioned seats, Hitomi pulled the curtains away from the window and watched the trees whisk past. The blur and swirl of green and brown unnerved her. She clicked her nails against the glass nervously, her breath came swiftly, and she finally squeezed her eyes shut, picturing Amano's face. _It's no different than meeting Amano for coffee_, she told herself fiercely. Glancing to the other side of the carriage, she wondered if Hiko would see the resemblance between their friend and the knight. She turned back to the window. Suddenly, the trees thinned, and a stately, blue and white villa emerged from the forest. The carriage lurched to a stop. 

Hitomi climbed out slowly and tugged on her shirt. Merle sprinted forward, obviously happy to be free of the confines of the carriage. Hiko smiled at her as he looked in awe at the villa. Hitomi moved to his side and looked up with him. Birds twittered from the trees, the grass sprung underfoot, and the building shimmered magically within the arms of the forest. Van, with Merle following, mounted the steps and knocked on the door. Hitomi concentrated on the smooth white stone steps beneath her shoes and marveled at the small pebbles in the rock that glistened brightly in the sunlight.

The door swung open. Hitomi slowly raised her head. Peering over Van's shoulder, she saw a plain white shirt and then long golden strands of hair waving in the slight breeze. Beside her, she felt Hiko tense. So he saw it too. Looking up into his face, Hitomi saw that Allen's blue eyes were dim and weary. He nodded to them all and forced a smile.

"Van. It's good to see you again. Thank you all for coming." His eyes trailed over their company, and Hitomi sucked in her breath when his gaze fell on her. "Hitomi? Is that you? I didn't think I'd be seeing you again," he said. Although he sounded cheerful, she caught the exhaustion and worry in his voice. She gave him a comforting smile.

"How is Celena?" Van asked suddenly.

Allen's face fell, and he opened the door wider. "Why don't you all come in?"

They entered the bright, airy home. Rich paintings and tapestries hung from the walls, and the windowsills overflowed with brilliant flowers. Hiko glanced wide-eyed at the beauty of the house. The blond knight led them to a large sitting room with table and chairs in front of a fireplace. Above the fireplace, an elaborate emblem hung on the wall. He offered them tea, and Hiko nodded absentmindedly. The knight left, and Hitomi and Merle murmured about his condition. Hiko stared numbly after the man, his head spinning. Hitomi had warned him that the knight, Allen, shared a resemblance with Amano. When he first laid eyes on Allen, Hiko barely saw the similarity. The facial features were similar and the way the hair fell, but other than that, the blond had little in common with his friend. But the moment Allen spoke, Hiko's eyes flew open in shock. Their voices were exactly alike. Exactly. And after that reality, Hiko watched the knight's movements and mannerisms. He shook his head in disbelief. The resemblance was uncanny.

Allen returned with the tea, then sat down heavily. Hitomi studied his form worriedly.

"Allen," she ventured. "How is Celena?"

The blue eyes darkened. "She has a high fever that will not break."

"How long has it lasted?"

"It started as a low-grade fever yesterday afternoon and has gradually risen throughout the night. About two months ago, she started having dizzy spells so she stayed home from court. After awhile she seemed fine, but then I found her in her room, unconscious. She had fainted. I made her stay in bed for a few days until the dizziness went away. The fever only began recently."

Hitomi traded confused glances with Hiko and Merle.

"Have you tried medicine?" Merle questioned.

Allen nodded. "The only times I've left her is to get medicine from the bazaar."

"How high is the fever now?" Van asked.

"She's burning up."

"Have you tried _glar_ leaves? They might break the fever."

Allen shifted his position and shook his head. "They're rare around Palas. I can't find them."

Van lifted up the blue bag. "That's true. They only grow in the forest. I brought you some."

A thin smile touched Allen's face. "Thank you, Van." He stood to take the bag. Hitomi stood up as well.

"May we see Celena, Allen?"

"Of course. This way."

* * *

Water trickled between his fingers as he wrung the cloth and replaced it on his sister's burning forehead. Celena's pale hair matted to her skin, slick with sweat. She trembled in her sleep and restlessly kicked at the light blanket. Allen carefully adjusted the cloth, then felt her skin with his hand. Sadly, he lifted the almost empty bowl from the bedside table. 

"I'm going to see if Van needs help preparing the _glar_ leaves," he said softly before leaving the room. Merle knelt beside the bed and watched the girl despondently.

"She's really sick," she murmured. Hitomi nodded in agreement. Hiko drifted awkwardly among the sheer white curtains and gazed through the window across the smooth lawn and into the forest beyond. Despite the bright sunlight, shadows clung to the underside of leaves and within the branches of the trees. Celena tossed uneasily, cried out weakly. Hitomi reached out, smoothed the cloth on her forehead, and pulled the long, pale hair away from her fevered face. Hiko turned and watched the girl through the drifting curtains.

"Don't—don't go!! Don't leave me alone!" she wailed.

Hitomi jerked her hand back. The girl shook her head fiercely, her eyelids fluttering. Merle and Hiko stared wide-eyed.

"Don't leave me!! G–Gaddi! _Chesta!!_"

Hitomi blinked in recognition. Celena thrashed about, and Hitomi gripped the girl's flailing arms. "Merle!" The cat-girl did not need a second order; she dashed out of the room instantly. Hiko rushed forward and leaned over the bed with Hitomi, both desperate to subdue Celena.

"Gaddi! Viole!! _Miguel!!!_" she screamed.

Allen threw the door open and folded Celena into his arms. Merle lingered worriedly in the doorway. Allen petted her long, flowing hair and whispered soft endearments in her ear. Slowly, she calmed and wrapped her arms around him, whimpering softly.

"Brother," she murmured weakly. "I've been having such horrible dreams..."

Hitomi drew back, hugging her arms around herself, and she could not help but tremble. Celena's screams reverberated loudly through her mind. Van emerged with a bowl, and Allen helped his sister drink the liquid. With tears streaming down her face, she curled helplessly in the sheets, shaking.

* * *

Crickets chirped comfortingly along with the crackling of the fire. Gleaming candelabra threw elongated shadows on the villa and watched over the mistress of the house, sleeping peacefully. With the help of the _glar _leaves, the fever finally broke. Soft voices floated through the halls and out onto the porch. Beautiful ivy twined around the banisters of the railing, and Hitomi lightly drew her fingers through the rustling leaves. 

A shadow detached itself from the villa and came to stand next to her. "Hey," Hiko said softly.

"Hi." A wan smile crossed her face. "Van and Allen are discussing politics in there. I should probably be with them, listening, but I..."

"Too tired?"

"Yeah."

Hiko drummed his knuckles on the railing, looking out into the trees. "It's really beautiful here."

Hitomi nodded. "Yes. I've never been here before. Well, in a vision, once. But I don't guess that really counts, huh?" She tilted her head to smile at him. His warm brown eyes dimmed as he gripped the railing tightly.

"Hitomi?" he asked. "Do you know what Celena was yelling about?" She shivered involuntarily. He reached out to her and stammered, "Oh, Hitomi, I'm sorry, I didn't realize—I just—I mean, she's delirious, that's all."

Shaking her head, Hitomi forced a smile. "No, Hiko, it's okay. ...I wasn't actually around when we finally figured out Celena's past, so this is all secondhand. But Celena was kidnaped by Zaiboch when she was very young. The Zaiboch scientists performed...experiments on her and turned her into Dilandau."

"Dilandau?" Hiko echoed. "The man who burned Fanelia?"

Hitomi nodded. "Yes. Eventually, she turned back to her true self, but..." Her emerald eyes clouded. "I fear she may be falling back into shadow," she finished softly. Turning to look at the forest, she kicked her shoes against the railing. The skin of her legs crawled. "How far do you think is a hundred meters?" she asked suddenly.

Hiko started and looked down at her, then looked out into the forest. "Well, I—You want to run? Like Amano used to?"

"Yes."

"What was Amano's record anyway?"

Hitomi smiled. "Ten point six four seconds," she declared proudly.

Hiko shook his head and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Wow. That's incredible. I used to play soccer with him, and no one could ever keep up with him. No wonder." He smiled at her. "Well, a meter is about...this big?" He held his hands apart, judging the space between them. He pointed. "Do you see that big tree way down there? I think that's about a hundred meters away."

She grinned and nodded vigorously. "Okay."

"I have a timer on my watch, if you want."

She glanced up at him. "That'd be great."

Hiko listened to the beeping of his watch as he pressed the buttons on the side. Eventually, the shadowy figure that was Hitomi reached the large tree, turned, and nodded to him. He studied the glowing face, 00.00 sec staring back at him. Lifting his arm into the air, he yelled, "Ready?!"

Hitomi leaned over and felt the wind caress her face.

"Go!"

Hiko's arm dropped. She sprinted forward, her feet slamming against the ground. She practically flew, the rhythm of her heels becoming the heartbeat of the earth. The air whistled through her ears, and she ripped the breath through her lungs, summoning all of her speed. Combing its fingers through her hair, the wind pulled her onward, urged her forward. Hitomi ran.

She whisked past him, and he pressed the button. She gradually slowed down and barely stopped before she rammed into the porch railing. Pressing a hand to her chest, she breathed heavily. Hiko stared at the digital numbers in awe. 10.75 sec.

"How—how did I do?" Hitomi gasped, smiling and staggering over to him. She leaned on his arm and peered down at the watch. He turned to her in astonishment.

"Hitomi, this is incredible! Ten point seven five seconds! You nearly beat Amano's record!"

Hitomi blinked, grabbed the watch from him. "I've never done that good," she breathed. Hiko laughed. She giggled in disbelief, blinked again, and looked up at him. "Ten point seven five!" she yelled, a grin plastered across her face. "I ran the hundred meters in ten point seven five seconds!!"

She jumped up and down in excitement, and Hiko grabbed her in a hug. Their laughter spilled over the villa.

* * *

A soft knock made her furrow her brow, dragging her from sleep. Someone shook her shoulder. Propping herself on her elbow, Hitomi groggily opened her eyes. Merle looked at her pointedly, making sure she would not go back to sleep, then walked over to throw open the curtains. Hitomi cringed against the streaming light. 

"Hitomi, wake up. We're leaving."

Blinking, Hitomi turned to Merle in confusion. "Leaving?"

"As soon as possible." Van walked in and put her duffel on the bed. Hitomi pushed herself up.

"Van? What's going on?"

The sunlight shimmered on his wild hair. He held out a piece of paper. Slowly, Hitomi took it. Merle moved to stand next to Van.

"I received that this morning," he explained. "It's from Kanta. She says that Dryden has arrived in Fanelia."

"Dryden? That doesn't make any sense. Why would he leave Palas to go see you when we could easily have come to him—"

"Hitomi," Merle interrupted gravelly. "Dryden hasn't lived in Palas for years."

She looked confusedly from Van to Merle and back again. Van's maroon eyes clouded.

"Hitomi, Dryden was in Zaiboch."

* * *


	12. It Returns to Haunt Him

Yay! I'm excited, I got this chapter out pretty fast!! This chapter marks the halfway point! ...I heart Dryden... :) Thanks for reading!!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Escaflowne, and I don't own the song either.

* * *

_I run back to my mother's arms,_

_one last hold and then it's over_

_Watching me, you know I cry,_

_you wave a kiss to say goodbye,_

_Feel the sky fall down upon me!_

_All I am_

_a child with promises_

_All I have_

_are miles full of promises of home_

— "Evacuee" by Enya

* * *

Van pulled away from them. Merle lingered beside Hitomi, watching the young king with wistful, worried blue eyes. Her ears drooped. 

"Merle? What does this mean? What does Dryden's arrival mean?" Hitomi questioned.

"I'm not sure," she replied softly. "Dryden left Palas soon after the war. According to Lord Van, he moved to Zaiboch."

"But why there?"

"He wanted to help rebuild the Zaiboch economy. And with his help, it has recovered well. At least, I think so." She wrung her hands together. "I don't know why he's chosen to come to Fanelia now, but I don't have a good feeling about it."

With a thin smile, Hitomi placed her hand on Merle's shoulder.

* * *

Rain pattered against the windows. Dryden lifted his hand and traced the path of the raindrops with his fingers. The clear, dull drops marred his vision and turned the sprawling city into a blur of green and blue. He drained the crystal wine glass, his fourth in less than twenty minutes. Voices drifted with the spatter of the rain, and he smirked at the whispered words. Van's pretty assistant with eyes the color of turquoise thought he was crazy. She was probably right. His exhaustion coupled with the wine had not improved his temperament. And he had always hated waiting... 

"Dryden?"

He slowly turned away from the window and sighed deeply. Van gestured for him to take a seat. Shaking his head, Dryden refused.

"Dryden," Van demanded seriously. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

Dryden laughed, one loud, short bark. "Van, why must you assume that my arrival heralds trouble?" Van raised a dark eyebrow at him, and Dryden slumped in defeat. He ran a hand through his long hair wearily. Van's fingers clutched the chair in anticipation.

"Your pretty assistant told me Hitomi's come back."

Van's eyes flicked to the shadows where Kanta peeked around the dark corner. "Yes, that is true," he replied evasively.

"You going to ask her to marry you this time?"

Dryden chuckled at Van's shocked expression. The young king's face flushed. After a moment, Dryden sensed Van's discomfort and anxiety. He cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses.

"I'm going to be clear and candid with you, Van," Dryden said gravelly, turning back to the window. "The insurrection in Zaiboch has grown."

Van leapt to his feet. "How? Asturia sent the requested reinforcements—"

"The insurrection has grown exponentially in size and strength. It easily defeated the Asturian forces. I myself barely escaped the country. Van, the leader has finally revealed himself."

Van stood on edge. His voice caught in his throat. "Who?"

The light slanted over Dryden's glasses as he turned, making the lenses darken. "Desiderius," he declared quietly, evenly.

* * *

The huge amphitheater resounded with the murmurs and calls of the people of Zaiboch. Dryden sighed, sat down in his private box above the stage, and pushed his glasses further up his nose. His aide sat down behind him, incessantly scribbling on his notepad. Trying to ignore the constant scratching of the pen, Dryden peered over the balcony railing and saw Desiderius standing on the far side of the stage, speaking seriously with two young men. Dryden squinted, trying to discern the features of the other two men, both cloaked in shadow. 

"Now who are they?" he muttered.

The aide looked up briefly, then returned to his scribbling. "Did you say something, sir?"

"No, nothing. Looks like half the country turned out for this announcement."

"Yes, sir," the aide responded automatically, without looking up.

A fanfare sounded. Dryden sat back as the people fell silent and Desiderius strode across the stage. Even the aide's pen paused. Desiderius surveyed the people, and a thin smile touched his pale face. His sharp grey eyes flicked over the sea of faces. Slowly, he spread his arms.

"My people, I bring you the promise of a brighter future. Zaiboch will once again rise to great heights! The insurrection has become a revolution, and through this newfound strength, Zaiboch will rise from the ashes!"

His voice ran clearly throughout the amphitheater. Dryden stared, stunned. The people cheered. Desiderius smirked, raised his hand, and the amphitheater fell silent once again.

"Every revolution needs a leader. I have stepped up to the challenge, and today, I will be crowned emperor of Zaiboch!!"

The crowd roared. The two men from the side came forward. Desiderius kneeled, and the two men, soldiers of the insurrection, placed a shining gold crown on his brown head. Cheers flooded the stage; Desiderius stood slowly, magnificently, and raised a gleaming object into the air.

Dryden stood abruptly. "Prep the leviship," he ordered.

The aide looked at him, bewildered. "But, sir, what—?"

"Just do it!!" The young man nodded, fearful, and ran off. Dryden leaned over the railing, squinting at the green, round object in Desiderius's hand.

_An energist...?_

The cheers pierced through the air, celebrating the crowning of a new emperor, the promise of a brighter future.

* * *

A clap of thunder rolled over the palace of Fanelia. Both Dryden and Van remained silent after Dryden's story, listening to the patter of the rain. Van's eyes clouded. 

"I had your pretty assistant send out messages yesterday. There will be an international council in Palas in three days," Dryden said softly.

"The insurrection has become a revolution," Van repeated dully, drawing his fingers across the cool glass. "What did he promise them?" he asked wryly. "Wealth? Power?"

"No. Prosperity. He promised that the revolution would bring Zaiboch into a new golden age of peace and prosperity." Van scoffed slightly. "Van," Dryden continued seriously. "Do you remember when we journeyed to the Mystic Valley?"

Looking up at the strange change of subject, Van nodded and shivered involuntarily at the memory.

"When we returned, Hitomi said she saw your mother, although only you and Hitomi could see her."

"You have a good memory," Van replied. "Yes, I saw my mother. She gave me an —"

"—Energist," Dryden finished, pushing up his glasses. "Yes, a small, green energist. I knew I recognized the energist Desiderius held up to the crowd, and it took me the whole trip here before I finally remember that incident with Escaflowne. I have no doubt that it's the same one."

Van turned to face him. "But how? That energist disappeared. It was inside Escaflowne when it transported us to Zaiboch, but when we escaped, the pink one had been replaced."

"My aide isn't completely useless..." Dryden pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Van, who scanned the column of names. "My aide found that in the records. It dates from Dornkirk's rule. As you can see, halfway down the page, is Desiderius's name." Van's gaze settled on the letters. "That list," Dryden continued, "is an account of the men the Zaiboch scientists had working under them. Desiderius was a part of Dornkirk's ideal future. He assisted in Fate Alteration Experiments."

"How did we miss this?!"

Dryden shrugged. "He fooled everyone, even me. So when you, Hitomi, and Allen were taken to Zaiboch, I'd be willing to bet that a very young Desiderius got his greedy hands on that green energist and has been holding on to it ever since."

Van backed up, staring in shock at the name on the paper. His mother's voice echoed softly, ominously, through his mind. _Please, my son. Don't forget. It's your will that determines Gaea's future. It's all up to you. Don't forget, Van!_ He blinked and glanced up at Dryden's serious face.

"I just have one question," the merchant said. "At the Mystic Valley, why did your mother give you the energist in the first place? Did she give you any instructions?"

Numbly, Van shook his head.

* * *

Kanta jumped slightly, then gave Hiko a small smile. The man from the Mystic Moon glanced around the corner at the king and the merchant. 

"What are they talking about?" he asked.

Kanta chewed nervously on her lower lip and twirled a lock of her rich brown hair around her finger. "They're discussing a possible war with Zaiboch," she replied sadly.

Hiko's eyebrows shot up, and his warm brown eyes clouded with worry.

* * *

Hitomi contemplated the determined, stubborn expression on Dryden's face. She glanced to the worry and weariness in Van's maroon eyes. The green energist had returned from the depths of his past to haunt him. And now Dryden refused to cooperate! 

"Dryden, please," Van said tiredly, "you must come with us. You have to give the report to the council."

The merchant shook his head, his wavy brown hair shining in the soft grey light. "I'm sorry, Van, but that won't happen."

Van's shoulders slumped. "Why not?!" Merle whined.

Dryden smirked. "Sorry. I don't have any intention of returning to Palas quite yet."

Hiko stepped forward. "You came all this way to warn us, even risked your life escaping the country, and now you refuse to make the simple journey to Palas to give a report to a council?!" His voice shook with anger.

Dryden's smirk only grew. "I'm the king who ran away. Those fat councillors in Palas don't want to see _my_ face any time soon!" He chuckled to himself.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with avoiding your father, would it?" Van demanded.

"Oh, no. My old man and I don't talk anymore. I don't care. He practically disowned me after I left for Zaiboch. Fine by me! I got freedom!"

_I'm the king who ran away..._ Hitomi watched Dryden's laughing face, then blinked in surprise. A powerful image of a blonde princess with shining blue eyes flashed before her eyes. She gasped. Hiko looked down at her curiously.

"You're trying to avoid Millerna!" she exclaimed. Dryden gave her a strange look and sighed deeply.

"I guess I can't hide anything from you, Hitomi," he said softly. He paused and held out his hands. "Can you blame me?"

Van shook his head impatiently. "Dryden, I can't give the report to the council. You must come. We're going to need your expertise."

Hitomi stepped forward. "Please, Dryden, we're begging you. You can't run away from Millerna forever." She bowed her head and felt her cheeks heating up as she glanced at Van. "You have to take the chance," she finished quietly.

Dryden ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "All right. But only because the king of Fanelia demanded it."

Merle cheered, and a thin smile touched Van's tired face. Hitomi gave Dryden a comforting smile. Kanta bid them each farewell. Merle gave her a long hug and turned away grinning. Kanta bowed deeply and politely to Dryden and to Hiko. Hitomi gripped the woman's elbows and stared into her bright, turquoise eyes.

"Watch over him," she said softly. Hitomi nodded.

"Van," Kanta called. The king paused. "Come home safely," she told him. He bowed his head slightly, then turned and boarded the leviship for Palas. Kanta waved, and she recognized the sharp determination she found in the young king's maroon eyes. It gave her hope.

* * *

Thanks for reading!! I hope you liked it!! Reviews are greatly appreciated!! Thanks again! 


	13. Follow Your Heart

YAY!!! I'm back!! I'm sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. I'll try to get the next one done much faster! I hope you like this chapter! Please review!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Escaflowne or the song. I only claim Hiko and Kanta.

* * *

_Someday, somehow_

_Gonna make it all right_

_But not right now_

_I know you're wondering when_

— "Someday" by Nickelback

* * *

Dryden's report had the council up in arms. Accusations as sharp as knives flew through the air, cutting deep. Almost uncharacteristically, Dryden remained in his seat, perfectly calm. Every once in a while, a quiet, witty remark slipped past his lips to silence an especially brutal councillor, but for the most part, he sat silently after delivering his report. Yet the knives continued to slash. 

"This is outrageous! We have received no prior knowledge of this!"

"We have intelligence of our own in Zaiboch! We would hear of this development!"

"Desiderius? _Emperor?_ Impossible! The man has always been congenial and helpful."

"We researched his past ourselves!"

Van leapt from his chair, rushing to defend the man beside him. "Dryden risked his life to warn us! We must act now, before Desiderius strikes!"

"There is no proof!" the king of Cesario yelled. "Fanelia, you expect us to risk the possibility of another great war on the reliance of one man's word?!"

"He has no reason to lie!" Van exclaimed, but he regretted the words the instant he spoke them. Except for Chid and Millerna, he was the youngest in the room, and the councillors gave him condescending looks, as though pitying his naivete and innocence.

"This man has plenty of reasons to lie," an Asturian councillor accused bitterly. "He has fallen out of the limelight for several years now, perhaps he wants that back? A great political scandal, that would get him the attention he thinks he deserves!"

"Or by advising us on an important matter concerning Zaiboch, he thinks he can worm his way back into a position of power?!" another councillor spat. "In our confusion, he'll seize control---!!"

"Excuse me, gentlemen," a soft voice interrupted. Everyone in the room turned to face Chid, who placed his palms purposefully on the table. He glanced to Dryden, the man's glasses covering his eyes. "This conversation sounds very familiar to me, and although that conversation did concern a different man, it turned out to be a horrible lie. The man concerned was honorable and good." Chid's bright blue eyes flicked to Allen, sitting quietly at the far end of the table. "I must say that I have never had the privilege of knowing Lord Dryden personally," he continued, "but I trust Van's faith in him, and I believe that Aunt Millerna will also be able to vouch for his integrity." He turned to his aunt before sitting back down. She did not meet his gaze.

"But...Duke Freid—" the councillor began.

Millerna rose abruptly, and the chair squeaked as it was forced back. Her blonde hair fell into her eyes, casting shadows over the sapphire. "Lord Dryden speaks the truth. I received intelligence reports this morning." She paused, weighing her words. "Zaiboch is massing for war."

A heavy silence draped over the council. Carefully, Van returned to his seat and glanced at Dryden. The merchant watched Millerna over the top of his glasses.

"I propose a vote," Allen declared, rising from his seat. "To awaken the old alliance against Zaiboch and to begin preparing Asturia for war."

The hands rose, some more grudgingly than others. Allen's eyes scanned the number gravelly. "So be it," he said and then looked to Millerna.

She took a deep breath. "Begin the preparations for war."

* * *

Van gripped the balustrade tightly, his maroon eyes glinting hard as rubies. The seagulls squawked, and his eyes narrowed further. Letting his eyes fall shut, he drew his sword and carefully, diligently began his exercises. The swish of the sword through the air calmed him with its familiarity. He let the feel of the sword numb his mind. 

"I see you've improved considerably."

Van's eyes flicked open, and he turned his head slightly to watch Allen move across the balcony towards him. "Your form is very good," he complimented.

Van lowered the sword, clutching the handle in his gloved hand and contemplating the blue and silver steel. "Has Millerna sent the orders to the army yet?"

"She just dispatched the messengers," Allen replied.

A stony expression crossed Van's face. "Things need to be moving faster. Desiderius could strike at any time."

Allen glanced at the young king concernedly. He placed his hands lightly on the balustrade and looked out over the city towards the ocean. "It is unwise to be so rash, Van," he said softly. "Decisions like this take time."

Van stiffened and glared at the knight. "I will not stand idly by. I am returning to Fanelia tomorrow."

The knight sighed. "To prepare your own country for war? Are you sure that is wise?"

The sword swiped through the air in anger. "Who are you to tell me what is wise or unwise?!" Van shouted. "War is coming! You should know that! You're a Knight Caeli!!"

At that, Allen turned. "Yes, I am a Knight Caeli," he replied, slowly and evenly. "And therefore it is my duty to protect and defend my people. Just like you, Van. Or have you forgotten that a samurai's life is meant to save others?"

Van's eyes widened, and he lowered the sword. Allen's words floated across the short distance between them, but it seemed as though they echoed from across the sands of time. Grudgingly, he sheathed his sword and turned back to the balustrade, his wild hair falling into his eyes. Allen smiled softly.

"Stay for the rest of the council, Van. Preparations have to be made."

"How long?" he asked grudgingly.

"Several days. But not longer than a week."

Van stared out at the seagulls, watching them soar on the breeze, their white feathers gleaming in the bright sunlight. His eyes dulled, and his shoulders suddenly ached. He nodded slowly. "Only for a week. ...I trust Celena is better?"

Allen bowed his head, his golden hair sparkling. "Yes," he replied. "Yes, she is fairing better."

* * *

"Thanks for agreeing to help me with this, Hitomi. I really appreciate it." 

"No problem. I'm glad I can help."

Millerna and Hitomi broke happily into the sunlight. Millerna took a deep breath of the fresh, open air, and then danced across the flat roof, giggling slightly. The two women carried baskets of laundry, and clotheslines draped with tablecloths and sheets already awaited them, waving in the slight breeze. Hitomi's eyes were overcome by the bright display of colors that flashed and rippled in the wind, a giant rainbow of cloth that floated on the roof of the palace. She grinned.

Millerna surveyed the scene as well. "I come up here to sort out my thoughts," she explained. "Doing the laundry helps me clear my mind."

Hitomi glanced at her, saw how her eyes suddenly lit up again, and Hitomi smiled, digging her arms into the clothes and hoisting them over the clothesline. She stood up on her tiptoes and hooked the clothes pins at the top. Millerna worked behind her, and they listened to the shrieks of the seagulls. After awhile, Hitomi began to hum.

"Hitomi?" Millerna ventured slowly. Hitomi stopped humming and glanced over her shoulder, still working with the clothes. Millerna's hair glittered in the light as she turned to face Hitomi. "I have this friend..." she started.

Hitomi chuckled slightly. She put down the clothes and pins and grasped Millerna's hands in hers, smiling broadly. "Oh, Millerna, will we forever play this game? If you're having a problem, I'm more than willing to listen!"

The princess smiled reluctantly, her blue eyes darting about nervously. "Well," she sighed. "I suppose candidness _is_ a desirable quality..."

Hitomi grinned. She turned back to the laundry and waited patiently for Millerna to start. She heard her take a deep breath, and then she slowly began to speak.

"I'm not sure what's happening to me, Hitomi. Ever since Father died, Eries and I have ruled the country without much incident. I mean, Allen still came to court, but all of my duties seemed to separate us. And he was distant. I suppose it's good thing. I still think of him fondly, but..."

She dropped off. Hitomi concentrated on the blue sheet in her hands. She gripped the smooth fabric in between her fingers and searched through Millerna's words.

Millerna took another deep breath. "When Dryden left me, I swore I would not wait for him. That I would marry Allen, and if Dryden ever came back, I would laugh in his face." She giggled slightly. "It's probably a good thing I'm not going to marry Allen," she declared. "If I did, I would be both aunt and stepmother to Chid. Wouldn't that be strange!"

Hitomi let out a short laugh. Then she paused. "Has anyone ever told Chid? About Allen?"

Millerna glanced over her shoulder, her blue eyes crinkling in thought. "No, not that I know of," she finally said slowly. "I always thought that Allen should be the one to do so."

Hitomi hung the blue sheet over the clothesline. "So has your view of Dryden changed?"

Millerna ducked her head. "I'm not sure...The few times he and I have spoken, he's been extremely polite and reserved. He hasn't acted like the man I remember. Perhaps it's that we've both matured."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No. No, not really." Millerna sighed and smiled softly. "There's still a lot of tension between us. ...I guess it's hard for me to admit to myself that I might really like Dryden after all."

Hitomi turned around to face the princess. "Follow your heart, Millerna," she said with a smile. Millerna nodded slowly.

"Yes. Sometimes that's harder than it sounds though."

Hitomi giggled. "Yes, I know!"

Millerna tossed her blonde hair off her shoulders, plunging her arms into the basket of laundry. "So how have you been, Hitomi? Remind me again. Who is that young gentleman who arrived with you? I know we met in the bazaar, but I can't seem to remember his name."

Hitomi sighed, turned back to the sheets on the clothesline, and watched the breeze flap the colors. She closed her eyes for a moment, reveling in the feel of the air running through her hair. "His name is Hiko Munama. He's a friend of a friend who accidently followed Van and me back to Gaea."

"Merle said he fancies you," Millerna said softly, almost like a question.

Hitomi's shoulder's drooped, and her green eyes clouded. "Yes, I believe he does," she replied sadly. She felt Millerna's eyes on her, gently asking for a further explanation. "He's a wonderful man. He's very polite and kindhearted. I don't want to hurt him, but I can't—I don't—"

Millerna placed her hand on her friend's shoulder and squeezed comfortingly. "Follow your heart, Hitomi. Everything will work out."

* * *

Merle wandered through the halls, humming lightly to herself. Her tufted tail waved rhythmically behind her, and she clasped her hands behind her back as she bounced through the palace. She skipped over to a wall of windows and watched excitedly as the light tumbled through the glass and splayed across the tile floor. Purring and basking in the warmth, Merle temporarily forgot about her search for Lord Van. 

Her ears swivelled at the sound of footsteps on the tile floor. She opened her eyes, and mentally groaned, her tail straightening and bristling slightly. Hiko stepped into the foyer and approached her slowly.

"Hello, Merle," he greeted. She turned her head away from him haughtily. He sighed. "Have you seen Hitomi?" he asked.

"No," she replied stubbornly, although she had seen Hitomi and Millerna climbing the stairs to the roof with baskets of laundry. Hiko leaned against the windowsill, and Merle scampered over to a deep blue sofa, trying to stay as far away from him as possible.

"I was going to ask her about the council," he said, staring out the window. "Do you know how it went?"

Merle reached up to arrange her hair. "No." Her ear twitched. "Well, I think they ordered for Asturia to prepare for war."

She saw Hiko jump in surprise. His brown eyes suddenly took on a strange, lost look. "W–war?" he repeated falteringly.

She nodded flatly. "Yes, war."

Hiko tapped his fingers against the windowsill, and the light illuminated his smooth face, sending bright spots dancing over his skin. "How do you wage war here? With guns and planes and tanks?"

Merle stared at him. "With _guymelefs!_" she exclaimed condescendingly.

Hiko sighed deeply. "Will Van fight?"

The soft question made her stop all movements. She sat stock still, stunned by the caring she heard in his voice. Finally, she forced her voice to work. "Yes," she whispered.

Hiko moved and sat beside her. Carefully, he placed a hand on her shoulder, and she did not shake him off. She despondently watched the sunlight dance of the tile floor, and its brilliance dimmed in her eyes. In their silence, she felt Hiko's caring and his compassion. She turned to him, her blue eyes soft and worried.

"I'm scared for him," she breathed.

He smiled comfortingly. "He loves you, Merle. He'll always come back to you."

Her mouth dropped open at the tender words. She turned her face away from him to hide the tears that threatened to fall. Her worry for Van consumed her, but she knew now that Hiko cared as well.

Footsteps clacked on the tile floor, and soon the slim figure of a man appeared at the end of the hall. Merle squealed happily, leapt from the sofa, and latched onto Van's arm. The raven-haired king absently ran his gloved hand through her pink hair. She purred happily, her tail waving wildly. Hiko sat up straighter as Van approached him.

Hiko jumped. Van tossed a sheathed sword at him, and he fumbled terribly, barely managing to grasp it before it clattered to the floor. Merle pressed a hand to her moutht to hide her smile. Hiko stood and clutched the sword awkwardly. He raised an eyebrow at Van.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked confusedly.

Van turned around, dragging Merle with him, and started to walk away. After a few feet, he paused and glanced over his shoulder. "Come," he declared. "I'm going to teach you how to fight."

* * *

Thanks so much for reading!! Please review?? 


	14. Childhood Loves

Yay! I'm so excited about this chapter!! I've had this part planned for a long time, and I can't believe I'm actually to this point in the story!! Wow, this is exciting!! Okay, well, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Escaflowne...Just borrowing them all for a little while. And I don't own the song either. I only have a claim to Hiko, Kanta, and Desiderius. Thanks!

* * *

_An angel without wings can hardly fly_

_And love without a dream, it cannot survive_

— "Angel Without Wings" by Vertical Horizon

* * *

Hiko slammed into the wall, and spots danced before his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he wiped the sweat out of his eyes, gripped the sword tighter, and struggled to regain his breath and his balance. Van tossed his hair out of his eyes and surveyed his student despairingly. 

"Get up."

Hiko pushed himself back to his feet. He pounded forward, whipped the sword upward, and the loud clash of steel meeting steel jerked through the training hall. The men glared at each other across the crossed blades. Van whacked downward, forcing Hiko back. He stumbled. Van rushed at him, crying out triumphantly as Hiko weakly and desperately raised the sword in front of him. Van jabbed the sword point at Hiko's stomach. The man cringed.

"You can't leave yourself open. Watch every point of your body at all times."

Hiko shook his head, panting heavily. "I'm just not cut out for this kind of stuff," he gasped.

Van's eyes hardened even more. "If you want to survive the coming war, you'll keep practicing. Now go through the exercises I showed you. I want to see your form."

* * *

The sunset burned across the expanse of the sky. The red ball of the sun hung low in the sky, sending washes of pink, purple, and blue up into the clouds. Hitomi hugged her knees to her chest as she perched on the edge of the roof like one of the seagulls that floated through the air. She marveled at the brilliance of the colors; the ocean reflected the sky like a mirror. The seagulls swooped overhead, and Hitomi reached out her hand to catch one of the spiraling feathers. Its edges burned golden in the sunset. She twirled it through her fingers and listened to the wind whispering in the laundry behind her. The sheets billowed, and the scarlet reds and royal blues blurred until the swirl of color mixed with the rainbow of the sky. 

"Hey."

She turned, and Hiko sat down beside her. His black hair hung limply in his eyes; he had clearly just taken a shower. Groaning slightly, he stretched out his legs and arms. She smiled.

"I hear Van's been running you ragged the past few days," she said laughingly.

He nodded. "I've never been through such intense physical training in my entire life," he declared. "Not even when I used to play soccer with Amano, and they'd make us run laps around the field." Stretching out his fingers, he cringed. "My whole body's sore. I've discovered muscles I didn't even know I had!"

Hitomi giggled. "Well, I guess it's a good idea that you learn. Since it doesn't seem like we're getting home anytime soon..." She turned her face back to the colors of the horizon and focused her attention on the Mystic Moon hanging beautifully in the sky. Hiko glanced at the pensive, peaceful look on her face.

"Do you miss it?" he asked softly. "Do you miss home?"

"Sometimes." She sighed. "But other times, I wish I could stay here on Gaea forever. It's so beautiful here."

"Yeah..." Hiko replied slowly. The gentle breeze lifted the honey hair around her ears, and the slanting sunlight gave her emerald eyes an amber tint and brushed her cheeks with red powder. He leaned closer to her as she started to lightly hum. Her soft song lifted on the breeze and joined with the shrieks of the seagulls. She twirled a white feather in her hands.

"Hitomi?"

She turned and jumped slightly at how close he was to her. Almost unconsciously, she scooted away. His wet hair fell into his face, covering and hiding his warm brown eyes.

"Hitomi, you probably know by now that I like you," he said evenly. She nodded mutely, stunned by his words.

"I should tell you that—" He took a deep breath, and she saw the light flash over his brown eyes. "That I love you."

Hitomi crushed her eyes shut. She could have cried at the hope she heard in his voice. Turning away from him, she drew a deep breath, searching for her voice. "Hiko," she chocked, "Hiko, I'm...I'm sorry—"

Her voice wavered, and a single tear slipped down her cheek. She could hear his shallow breathing behind her. "I'm sorry, Hiko. I care for you greatly, but I do not...but I do not love you..." she whispered. Her words floated ominously in the air between them, and she could not stand to see his eyes.

His face fell, and then he set his chin stubbornly. Hiko's chocolate eyes lost a little of their characteristic warmth, but a gentle smile curved his mouth as he stared down at his hands. "I...somewhat expected that. And yet I felt I still needed to tell you." He lifted his face to the fading light of the setting sun.

"It's Van, isn't it?" he asked softly.

She nodded gently. "Yes," she breathed. She clutched the white feather convulsively between her hands.

Hiko's face smoothed, and a sad but peaceful light shone behind his eyes. "None of us ever grow out of our childhood loves."

Hitomi jerked up and glanced over her shoulder at him. "What?"

Hiko leaned his head to the side and smiled wanly. "The things...or people we held dear as children or young adults never really leave us. They stay with us always, giving us comfort and strength. We never truly fall out of love with them. None of us ever grow out of our childhood loves." He shrugged. "At least, that's been my experience."

Hitomi stared numbly down at the soft curves of the white feather. Silently, Hiko stood, nodded respectively to her, and left her alone. Gently, she ran her fingers over the edges of the feather, dreaming about her angel and praying for Hiko to keep his strength and caring. The red sun slipped silently below the horizon, casting all the world in the cool blue of evening. In the silvery light of the Mystic Moon, Hitomi stood, released the feather, and watched it calmly drift on the breeze, soaring up to the twinkling stars.

* * *

With the spiral staircase rolling down below his feet, Hiko weakly descended, trailing his fingers along the rounded stone wall. Torches flickered and blazed on the edges of his vision, and the exhaustion from the day's training crept up behind him like his shadow. Wearily, he stopped and swayed precariously on the steps before leaning his temple against the cool stone wall. He sighed deeply, let his eyes fall shut, and listened to the rhythm of his own breathing. 

_I wish Hitomi the best_, he thought languidly. _But, of course, I should have known it wouldn't work out between her and me. I haven't exactly had the best luck with women lately..._ He opened his eyes slowly and leaned heavier against the stone, letting it support him. The flaming torches blurred and spun in his vision, and in their shadows, he could see them. He could see his memories...

* * *

Hiko ran a hand through his dark hair as he stepped off the subway. Pushing through the crowd of people, he slowly trudged up the stairs into the open air. Couples and groups of friends walked past, laughing and pointing at store windows. Hiko could see his apartment building towering in the distance, and he set off, eager to get home. He paused to look into the display window of a jewelry store and watched the lights glitter on diamonds and rubies. His mind instantly drifted to thoughts of long auburn hair, deep chocolate eyes, and smooth creamy skin. Hiko grinned boyishly as he pictured his girlfriend in his mind's eye. Naoko sat stiffly upright and gave him a small, tantalizing smile, a smile that revealed a softer soul beneath the severe, rigid sophistication. 

He stopped abruptly. He watched his astonished reflection in the glass window of a restaurant. Small families and couples dipped chopsticks into bowls of soba and soup. One little boy eagerly stole a piece of shrimp from his sister's bowl. But Hiko continued to stare in disbelief. There was no mistaking the shine of light on auburn hair and her sharp posture. But she seemed softened; she laughed and gestured fluidly, gently. He had never seen her so happy, so free. He wanted to glow with happiness that she was smiling so easily, but her smiles were not for him. Naoko reached across the table to take another man's hand. He lifted her creamy skin to his lips and kissed the back of her hand.

Hiko's heart shattered, and each shard pierced the inside of his chest. He could not believe what he was seeing. Naoko and the man rose from their table and headed for the doors of the restaurant. Hiko started, jumped. The couple exited the restaurant, Naoko clutching lovingly onto the man's arm, and they headed straight for Hiko. He could not move; he could hardly breathe. Naoko laughed joyously, then stopped short. Her deep chocolate eyes widened as she and Hiko stared at each other.

"H–Hiko," she stammered. She straightened her posture and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Good evening, Hiko," she said evenly, as if they were only acquaintances.

Hiko could not take his shocked eyes off the couple. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. "Naoko—" he finally chocked.

"I'm sorry, Hiko. Everything is over," she replied coldly. She stood straight and rigid, a stern queen of ice. The man beside her remained impassive and distant. "I am happy with Yamato. Goodbye."

She pulled Yamato along. They passed by Hiko in a whoosh of cold air. Hiko continued to stare numbly at where they had stood. He forced himself to stumble home. No thoughts flickered through his mind, only the image of Naoko's smiling face. Exhausted, he collapsed onto his couch, rubbed his eyes with one hand, and reached for the phone with the other. Placing the phone to his ear, he listened to it ring once, twice...

"Hello?"

Hiko sighed heavily and leaned his head back. "Miharu, everything's going to be all right?"

He could hear the smile in his sister's voice. "Yes, Hi-chan, everything's going to be all right."

"You promise?"

"Yes, I promise." She paused. "Thing's haven't been going too well?"

"No."

Miharu remained silent for a few moments. "Hi-chan, remember the fireflies," she breathed softly.

Hiko smiled weakly. When they were children, he and Miharu went to the park near their house in the summer to collect fireflies. When Miharu asked why they only collected fireflies in the summer, their father told them that during the winter, the fireflies returned to their own magical kingdom. But in the summer, they came out to share their magic with Hiko and Miharu. Their father smiled at his children. And no matter how hard life gets, the fireflies will always come back to share their magic.

"Thanks, Miharu," Hiko said softly.

* * *

Miharu chuckled softly as she picked up Hiko's plate. She moved gracefully to the kitchen and started washing the dishes, soap suds covering her small, delicate hands, and Hiko turned back to listen to his mother's story. He smiled genuinely for the first time in many weeks. Naoko's absence opened a hole in his heart, but the comfort of his mother and sister soon started to close the gap. 

"So how's the job going, Hi-chan?" Miharu called.

"It's good. Busy. Someone accidently deleted a whole set of the company's financial files. It took me forever to retrieve them."

"Are they paying you enough?" Mrs. Munama asked sharply.

"Yes, Mother," he replied gently.

Miharu returned and sat next to him. "Yeah, Mom, you haven't seen his new apartment, have you? He has plenty of space!"

Mrs. Munama smiled. "Very good. Miharu, where's that husband of yours?"

"I sent him and Aiko to run some errands. They should be back soon."

"How is my granddaughter? And my son-in-law?"

"Aiko's doing fine. She's at the top of her class in school. And Kouichi just got promoted!"

Mrs. Munama beamed. "That's wonderful, Miharu!"

Hiko turned to his mother. "And you've been well?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, pretty well. There's quite a bit of stress at work though..."

"Mother," Hiko asked suddenly, interrupting her. "Do you remember the fireflies?"

Mrs. Munama blinked confusedly, and Miharu stared at him. "Your father took you two to catch them, right?" she said softly.

"Yes."

"Before he died."

Hiko paused before nodding again. "Yes, Mother."

"Yes, I remember them. What about them?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to see if you remembered."

* * *

Darkness draped over them. Hiko adjusted his tie and smoothed his black suit coat. A door slammed, and when he pressed his ear against the wood, he could hear Miharu sobbing. Setting his face, he walked down the hall to join Kouichi and Aiko in the living room. Aiko swung her feet and plucked at her black dress. Her eyes drooped after paying such rapt attention at the ceremony. Hiko stood next to Kouichi. 

"I'm sorry, Hiko," Kouichi said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Hiko nodded. "How's Miharu holding up?"

Kouichi's face fell. "She's devastated. She couldn't believe it when she heard the news—"

"No one could," Hiko said. "It was so sudden." He looked down and saw Aiko tugging on the corner of his suit coat. Glancing at Kouichi, he bent down to be eye level with the little girl.

"What's the matter with Mama, Uncle?" she asked, pouting prettily.

Hiko sucked in a deep breath. "Your mama's very sad, Aiko. She's going to miss your grandmother very much."

Aiko bobbed her head, the black hair ribbon flipping about her shoulders. "I'm going to miss her too!" she exclaimed, her brown eyes watering.

Hiko forced a smile. "We're all going to miss her, sweetheart."

Aiko rubbed at her eyes and sniffed. "How did she die?"

Hiko glanced up at Kouichi, then faced Aiko again. "She was driving in her car, and she tried to cross the railroad tracks. She thought she could slip across before the train came, but—" His voice faltered. He pulled his niece into his arms and held her tight. A few weeks ago, his mother's laughter had filled the room, but now only his sister's broken sobs filtered through the empty and darkened hallways.

* * *

Hiko looked up wearily from the paperwork. Sighing deeply, he picked up the ringing phone. "Hello?" His face instantly fell, and his jaw dropped. "I'll be right there, Kouichi." 

He rushed down to the hospital. Aiko tugged on her father's hand, bouncing up and down in her favorite pink outfit, and Kouichi stared numbly at Miharu in the hospital bed. A nurse monitored several beeping machines. Miharu remained extremely still.

"Daddy? Daddy?! What's happening, Daddy?!"

Hiko hurried over to him. "Kouichi, what happened to her?"

Kouichi blinked out of his reverie. "She—she—" He took a deep breath and squeezed Aiko's hand tightly. "After the funeral, she couldn't handle it. She started drinking. Heavily. I tried...I tried to stop..." He shook his head. "Tonight was worse. She drank and drank until she collapsed—" Kouichi's voice faded, and he looked at Hiko with lost eyes. "She said the fireflies aren't coming back," he breathed confusedly.

Hiko's eyes widened, and he turned fearfully to his sister's still body. The nurse motioned for Kouichi. Hiko picked up Aiko and took her outside the hospital room. He whispered in her ear, bounced her on his hip, and sang softly to her. After awhile, she fell asleep against his shoulder, and he ran his fingers through her soft dark hair. Squeezing his eyes shut, he promised himself that he would help Kouichi look after her. Like the fireflies, her mother was not coming back.

Patting her hair, he set his face determinedly. For Aiko, the fireflies would always come back. He would make sure of it.

* * *

The torches blurred before his vision, and Hiko slowly pushed himself away from the wall. Within the past year, he had lost his sister, his mother, and his girlfriend. But a smile still tugged at his lips because he knew he still had Aiko. He always had Aiko, and he would be sure to find a way back to her.

* * *

Hitomi sat perfectly still on the blue sofa. She wiped at her eyes, Hiko's confession burning on her ears. The shadows swarmed around her, but she did not have the strength to return to her room. Presently, she heard voices creeping down the hall, and she lifted her chin slowly. Small teardrops slipped the rest of the way down her cheeks. She could not remember when she had started to cry. 

"Did the meeting go all right, Lord Van?"

"Yes. The arrangements are being made."

Van and Merle emerged from the shadows. Van stopped abruptly, staring at Hitomi's still form in surprise. Merle glanced up at him, then bounded over to the girl.

"Hitomi? Hitomi, are you all right?" she asked.

Van stepped closer, and he heard her sniff. Merle's blue eyes glowed. She poked Hitomi's shoulder. "Hitomi? Are you crying?" she asked, still poking her. "What's the matter, Hitomi? Why are you crying?"

"Merle," Van reprimanded. The cat-girl instantly fell silent and drew back. Worriedly, Van knelt before her. A pair of dull green eyes met his gaze.

"I'm fine," she whispered. "It's Hiko you should be worried about."

"Hiko?" Merle questioned.

Van's maroon eyes clouded, but he ignored the comment. "Come on, Hitomi. You need to rest." He pulled on her arm and lifted her from the sofa. She weakly rose to her feet and swayed precariously. Van wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. With Merle helping, he slowly guided Hitomi back to her room.

"I think I hurt him, Van," she whispered to him. "I didn't want to hurt him, I really didn't. And I'm so sorry for the way things have turned out...I'm so very sorry..."

"Merle, make sure she gets to bed all right," he said gently. Merle nodded and took Hitomi from his arms. "And pack her things for her. Allen offered to let us stay at his home for the next few days. We'll be going there tomorrow."

Van headed down the hall, then paused and looked over his shoulder. He caught the last sight of Hitomi's honey hair before the door shut behind her. He sighed deeply. He hated to see her depressed. He wanted to see her smile again.

* * *

Thank you so much for taking the time to read!! Please review?? I hope you liked it!! 


	15. The Calm Before the Storm

After a ridiculously long time, I have updated!! I'm so excited!! I want to apologize that it took so long for me to finish this chapter. I got distracted by _The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, _and _The Amber Spyglass_. Really good books. Anyway, I worked really hard on this chapter...it's kind of long, but I hope that's okay! Thanks for reading!!

**Disclaimer: **As always, I don't own Escaflowne or the song. I only claim my few characters.**

* * *

**

_If you find your family, don't you cry_

_In this land of make believe, dead and dry_

— "So Cold" by Breaking Benjamin

* * *

Water poured into Hitomi's mouth. _No! No, this wasn't supposed to happen! All I wanted was to see the remains of Atlantis!!_ She chocked and screamed, thrashing and fighting to keep from being crushed by the immense weight of the water. Around her, the peeling eyes of ancient paintings leered at her in a lurid green light. She clawed at the rubble, but she had no hands; she kicked at the floor, but she had no feet. She curled into a little ball and sobbed, the dream of the glorious black dragon vanishing in the shadows of the deep, black ocean of the Mystic Moon... 

Hitomi gasped, shooting up in her bed. Her eyes flew wide, and she sucked and gulped down deep breaths of crisp, refreshing air. Her heart thudded loudly and painfully in her ears. She could still feel the weight of the water pressing down unrelenting on her shoulders. With desperate shining eyes, she flung the blankets aside, pulled a change of clothes from her duffel, and tugged on her running shoes. Hitomi took a deep breath in the doorway and then dashed off into the Asturian woods surrounding the villa, trying frantically to outrun the reality of her dreams.

* * *

Van woke at the crack of dawn, stretched, and rubbed at an aching spot between his shoulder blades. Running a hand through his wild, raven hair, he diligently dressed in the familiar red shirt and then dark brown pants. He sat back down on the edge of the bed to pull on his boots. He moved silently through the villa and met Allen in the kitchen. Neither spoke but simply left each other to his thoughts, each contemplating the day ahead as they ate a modest breakfast. Van turned his head to the window where the world outside was still sleeping, the flowers dreaming of opening to the sun's warmth. In the gentle darkness, the forest and villa seemed isolated from the rest of the world and all of its troubles, but as Van's eyes narrowed, he concentrated on his memory of the forests of his homeland. The dragons would be restless this time of year, and their haunting roars would echo through the night sky. His maroon eyes glowed with the reflection of leaping flames; he blinked, and his eyes darkened. Allen gestured silently, and Van followed without a sound. The two warriors climbed into the carriage waiting to take them to the Palace of Asturia for more meetings. As they started to drive away, they saw Celena standing calmly on the smooth white steps, and she raised her hand in farewell. Allen and Van both nodded to her before the trees blocked her from their view. 

Celena lowered her arm slowly. "Goodbye, brother," she said softly. Her shoulders fell despondently for a moment, but then a breeze shook her hair, bringing the first grey slants of sunrise along with it. Celena smiled, kicked off her shoes, rushed down the steps, and buried her feet in the soft, cool grass. Her smile grew to a grin as she began to spin and dance in the dewy grass, the skirt of her dress flying out around her bare feet. The shades of grey and gold of the sunrise slowly spread across the sky until they brightly illuminated the corn silk hair of the dancing girl. She dipped down, giggling, and plucked a small pink flower from the ground, admired it for a moment, then dropped it to go chasing after a flitting sparrow. Celena turned away from her chase to bend over a blue butterfly, then skipped after the delicate insect. She jumped, clapping her hands, but the butterfly fluttered just out of her reach, and she pouted prettily as it disappeared into the light blue sky. The dull sound of footsteps on the stone steps caused her to turn her head, and she greeted the man with an innocent smile.

The man looked up in surprise as Celena bounded over to him. "Good morning!" she exclaimed happily. "You're Hiko, right?"

He shifted, almost uncomfortably. "Yes, I am."

Celena's smile grew, and her bright blue eyes dazzled. "I'm Celena! Would you like to come pick flowers with me?"

Hiko blinked in surprise, then stammered, "Well—I came out here to practice..." He held up the sheathed sword as explanation. Celena's smile faded a little, but she nodded.

"Oh, yes! I forgot! You had better do your exercises, else my brother and Lord Van will be angry with you!" She giggled and skipped off, picking up her forgotten pink flower. She looked back at him with a strange expression on her face. "Are you afraid of me?" she asked suddenly.

Hiko jumped at her question, nearly dropping the sword. All at once, everything Hitomi had ever told him about Dilandau rushed into the forefront of his mind, and Hiko stared at the young woman fearfully. This innocent girl had slaughtered people, burned cities, and laughed gleefully at death and destruction. As he stared, the joy in Celena's face vanished, and she slowly walked back to him so that she looked him full in the face. Hiko fought the urge to take a step backward.

"You _are_ afraid of me," she breathed.

"I—"

She bowed her head so the sun gleamed on the top of her head. Hiko thought her hair resembled spun gold. "You know about my past," she said sadly. "I don't remember much. I remember a few names and even fewer faces, but nothing more." She looked back up and smiled gently. "So you have no reason to fear me, Hiko. I may be of some help!"

Hiko blinked again, startled. "Help?"

Celena giggled again, and her eyes lit up in her delight. She twirled around and then perched on the middle step of the porch. She beckoned excitedly to him, and Hiko moved slowly to sit beside her. He placed the sword across his knees, and Celena adjusted herself to look right into his eyes.

"You miss Hitomi."

Hiko could not help but jump again. The bluntness of her statements threw him off guard. "Y-yes," he stammered, then cleared his throat. "Yes, I miss her. She has been avoiding me. I fear I've ruined our friendship for good."

"She speaks sadly of you. She thinks she's hurt you. Is that true?"

Hiko dropped his gaze to the sword. "I've been hurt worse. I just wish we could still be friends. Like before."

Celena brightened, sitting up straighter. "Then talk to her!" she exclaimed.

A bird twittered, and as Celena turned her attention to the trees, searching excitedly for the little creature, Hiko studied her face. Her innocence amazed him. She looked to be about Hitomi's age, a grown woman, but she spoke with the childish simplicity of Aiko. She turned back to him, her eyes and face glowing happily.

"It's not that simple," he replied quietly.

Celena pouted, but she placed her hands over his own, and he looked up at her questioningly with his deep brown eyes. She smiled gently, an understanding smile she usually reserved for her brother. "Talk to her, Hiko. I'm sure she'll be glad to have your friendship again."

Hiko opened his mouth to protest, but they turned their attention to the open lawn. Hitomi stood watching them, the rising sun crowning her head like a halo. The deep red light of dawn wove around her body, giving her an ephemeral air. Celena gave Hiko a knowing look. Hitomi blinked in surprise at the peaceful scene she found. Celena's hair gleamed reddish gold in the morning light, and Hiko's chocolate eyes filled with warmth again. And if Hitomi squinted and turned her head just right, she could see a little girl sitting on Hiko's other side. The little girl leaned against him, a pink bow on her headband, and she bounced restlessly in her yellow dress, tapping her black and pink shoes on the smooth stone step. She turned her head to Hiko, flipping her short dark hair over her shoulder, and gave him the most brilliant smile. Hitomi could not help but smile with her. Hiko was resilient, and he had that little girl to give him back the warmth in his eyes. Hitomi nodded her head demurely and headed slowly towards him. Just as Millerna had said, everything had worked out.

Celena nudged Hiko gently, and he leapt to his feet as Hitomi approached, the sword dropping to the dewy grass. Celena picked up the sword, placing it beside her on the steps. She watched as Hiko became drenched in the red gold light, and she grinned to herself. Now things would be happier, now that the tension between them was gone. She twirled a strand of hair around her fingers as she watched them talk, humming softly to herself, her attention drifting away from the pair. She flourished the little pink flower, and in her eyes, the flower became a beautiful red rose. She stopped moving instantly. The rose gleamed blood red, and Celena's breath hitched in her throat. Her vision blurred suddenly, and a memory flooded her mind.

_That girl...!!_

_Where's the glory in dying in a fight like that?_

Celena trembled, and the image of a white guymelef on a burned battlefield swept her away. She gripped the controls of a red guymelef, and she stared in horror as each of her warriors fell to the white guymelef. Her right cheek throbbed painfully. She backed away, terrified.

"Gaddi?! Chesta?! Dallet!!" she shrieked. "_No!_ Don't leave me alone!!" Darkness surrounded her. She screamed. "_Don't leave me alone!!!_"

Hitomi and Hiko spun around. Celena shrieked, trembling uncontrollably. Hiko rushed to her and caught her just as she slumped forward, groaning weakly. Hiko pushed back the corn silk hair from her forehead. He turned to Hitomi.

"She's burning up. The fever's come back."

Hitomi paled. Merle burst onto the porch. "What was that scream?" she asked hurriedly. Her eyes fell on Celena in Hiko's arms. "Get her back inside. I'll send for Lord Van!"

* * *

Millerna found him in the library. She lingered in the doorway, studying his form as he flipped through a thick book. Through the window behind him, she could see clouds gathering on the horizon; a storm was coming. _Follow my heart..._ she thought. She took a deep breath, gathered all of her courage, and stepped fully into the room. She let her footsteps make her presence known. 

He did not speak to her, but she could feel his eyes on her. She pretended to ignore him and browsed the old dusty books for awhile. Finally, she pulled one off the shelf and turned towards him, clutching the book protectively to her chest.

Her voice faltered the moment she looked at him. Dryden's gaze remained trained on the pages of the book, his glasses slipping down his stern nose. His brown hair tumbled over his shoulders, and Millerna nervously glanced away. "Dryden?" she finally ventured. Her voice sounded thin and weak.

"Yes, princess?"

Millerna bit back a sharp retort about his insistence on being overly polite. She took another deep breath. "Allen and Van dashed out of here quickly. I hope Celena will be all right." She pulled out a chair and sat down, not across from him but near him.

Dryden turned a page. "As do I. We cannot continue the negotiations without Van."

Millerna ran her hands anxiously over the book in her lap. "I'm taking Chid to Allen's villa later this evening to check on Celena and visit Hitomi. Would you like to come with us?"

Dryden slowly looked up, peering at her over the rim of his glasses. "I don't think that would be a wise idea, princess."

Millerna glared. "And why not, Dryden?! I'm trying to be kind to you, to try to welcome you home, but you refuse to accept the olive branch!!" Her voice cracked. "And why do you insist on calling me _princess_?"

Dryden stood slowly. Carefully, he closed the books scattered around him. After a moment, they looked at each other across the table. Dryden studied her blue eyes and seriously contemplated the offer before him.

"I am not yet the man you deserve, so I must show you the utmost respect, my lady," he replied courteously. "I am honored by your invitation, but I'm afraid I have a previous engagement." Millerna's face melted from angry to disappointed. She nodded, lowering her gaze, and stood, pushing the chair in behind her.

"But since there aren't any more meetings today, perhaps we can go to the bazaar this afternoon?"

Millerna paused, and her face brightened instantly. Her eyes shone. "That would be lovely," she said, smiling. Dryden's eyes softened.

"Then I will have a carriage ready for us in half an hour."

* * *

The temperature dropped as the carriage drew closer to the bazaar and the sea. The clouds gathered, and the crowd began to thin. The shopkeepers eyed the expanse of grey warily, anxious to close up shop before the downpour started. Dryden and Millerna wandered through the streets, stopping occasionally to look at some jewelry or antique. But Millerna felt herself smiling more; Dryden seemed to relax the moment they left the palace, and for the first time in her life, she felt comfortable around him. She was perfectly content to just walk with him. 

They spoke softly. Dryden inquired about her medicinal studies, and she asked him about his business. Although his face darkened slightly, he replied that the merchant business was going well, despite the possibility of war. They turned a corner slowly, and Dryden stopped suddenly. Millerna did not notice for a moment and kept on walking. She turned back to him.

"Dryden? What is it?"

He stared at an object on display and gestured to the owner. He handed him money, and then picked up a lovely, delicate pearl necklace. Shocked, Millerna shook her head.

"Oh, no, Dryden, please. I don't...I don't want...I certainly don't need..."

But he smiled so gently at her that she fell silent. "I want to get it," he murmured, placing it in the black case the owner provided and pressing it into her hands. "Please, princess. Take it as a gift."

Millerna dropped her eyes as they started to walk again. "Thank you," she breathed. They lingered on a bridge, and the wind cut through her. She shivered. Cloth folded over her shoulders, and she looked up in surprise. Dryden draped his coat over her, then glanced away. Millerna could not help but smile and pull the coat tighter around her.

"Thank you, Dryden."

* * *

Clouds gathered ominously over the horizon, billowing and tumbling until huge thunder heads dominated the sky. Allen loomed worriedly over his sister's sickbed, but she remained aloof from reality, drifting through a grey world of half-dreamed memories. 

"Jajuka...Jajuka...don't leave me alone..."

Hitomi chewed her bottom lip nervously. She and Merle placed the bowl of water and dry towels on the bedside table. Allen perched on the covers and watched anxiously as Celena tossed her head restlessly. Hitomi put her hand on his shoulder; he did not move.

"Allen, you should rest. Merle and I will watch Celena. Hiko and Van are in the parlor."

Allen shook his head. "No, Hitomi. I must stay with her."

"But, Allen—"

"Don't worry, Hitomi," Merle chirped. She bounded over to the chair on the opposite side of the bed. "I'll stay here with Allen and Celena. If he gets too tired, I'll send him to bed." She smiled, her tail curving around the chair leg. "Go and talk with Lord Van, Hitomi. Someone needs to keep him company too." When Hitomi did not move, Merle shot her a defiant glare, and Hitomi let her shoulders droop. There was no use fighting Merle's stubbornness. She smiled wryly as she shut the bedroom door behind her.

Her eyebrows narrowed as she rounded the corner to the parlor. It was too quiet. When she entered, she found only Van, dozing lightly in an armchair, one leg pulled up against his chest. Hitomi smiled. She tread softly through the parlor, careful to not disturb him. He certainly deserved the rest. Passing near him, she reached for a book on the table in front of him. Drawing back, she watched the midmorning light flicker over his raven hair and tan face. She paused as a strange thought crossed her mind. She had felt his hair brush softly over her cheeks when they rode on Escaflowne plenty of times before, but she had never truly _touched_ his hair. Hitomi ducked her head, her cheeks flushing. Such a girlish idea, to want to touch his hair! But Hitomi's hand seemed to drift towards him of its own accord. She held her breath. Van continued to sleep peacefully as her fingers snuck closer and closer to a lock of thick black hair. Carefully, she brushed her hand against his hair, then buried her fingertips in it. The outer layers were coarse, but the layers underneath were soft and silky. Hitomi smirked. It was just like Van to hide his gentleness under a rough exterior. She continued to stroke her hand through his hair, contented and happy.

Van's eyes snapped open. He leapt towards her blindly, ripping his sword from his scabbard. Hitomi shrieked in shock. The book fell to the ground with a thunk. Van pressed the sword sharply against her chest, his hand gripping into her arm painfully. Her emerald eyes shook in fear; his eyes were hard and cold. Then Van blinked, his face relaxed, and he dropped the sword instantly, releasing her and moving swiftly away.

"Hitomi," he chocked. "What were you doing?"

"N-nothing," she stammered, bending to pick up the book. She clutched it protectively to her chest, still a little shaky. Van turned away from her towards the window. His hair fell in front of his eyes.

"Van?" she questioned gently. "Are you all right? You've seemed a little...on edge."

Van tensed in defense. "I'm fine," he snapped. Hitomi ducked her head and started to turn away when he spoke again. "...It's just...I'm tired to standing around doing nothing. We need to _do something!!_"

Hitomi jumped slightly at the raw anger in his voice. "Like what, Van?"

He glanced at her over his shoulder. "Fight. We need to fight back. Desiderius is massing an army, and all these meetings aren't doing a damn thing. I'm going back to Fanelia tomorrow, and I'm going to put the energist back in Escaflowne."

Hitomi's hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes widened. "But—Van—"

"My mind's made up, Hitomi."

"But I thought we agreed that Escaflowne should sleep!"

Van whipped around, his maroon eyes flashing like rubies. "I must return and protect my country. I will not have it burn again!"

Hitomi's eyes narrowed. She slammed the book on the table. "I won't have you go on a rampage because you're not patient enough!!" she shouted. "Don't you remember what happens to you when you jump in Escaflowne?! I don't know that Van!! He's obsessed with killing and destruction!!"

"I must defend my people!" Van's hands curled into fists.

"And risk your life?! If you put the energist back in Escaflowne, you'll be connected to it again! You could be killed!!"

His voice suddenly became stern and calm. "That is my destiny. It is my destiny to shoulder the burden of war."

Hitomi took a step back, aghast. "No one person can carry that responsibility!!" she exclaimed.

His eyes blazed, and she saw nothing but anger and determination in his face. "I _will_ take on that responsibility. I must do this on my own. I am returning tomorrow, and there's nothing you can do about it!" He reached to his neck and pulled the gleaming pendant over his head. "I don't need your help this time, Hitomi. You and Hiko had better start preparing to return to the Mystic Moon." Van held the pendant out to her. Hitomi stood, frozen.

"Take it. You'll need it to get home."

"No."

Van shook it at her, his anger rising again. "Take it! Damn it, Hitomi!! Take it!!"

"It was a gift!" she shrieked. She backed away from him, shaking her head. "It was a gift!!" Fear flooded her mind. Hitomi trembled, staring at Van disbelievingly. "_Please_," she breathed. "Don't make me take it back."

Van blinked in surprise at the fear in her wide eyes. Slowly, he draped the pendant back around his neck, and then she seemed to calm down. But he was still determined. "I am still leaving tomorrow."

Although she knew it was futile to argue with him, she continued to shake her head. "Must you always be so arrogant?! You say you don't need anyone to help you, but everyone needs help sometimes, Van! Let us help you, and then maybe we won't have to fight at all!"

"That's not your decision!!" he yelled. "Desiderius has made that choice for us!! I must fight with Escaflowne to save all of Gaea!!"

"But nothing's happened yet!! It's just all plans and rumors, there's nothing definite!!"

"Stop questioning my decisions!! I'm the king of Fanelia! I'm the one who decides what will benefit my country, not you, Hitomi!! I don't need your help anymore!!"

Hitomi turned and ran. His face was stony; she could not reach him. Van whipped back around to stare out the window, still seething. Hitomi dashed blindly out into the hall, rushing for the door. Sharply turning the corner, she nearly crashed into Merle and Hiko. Hiko grasped her shoulders gently, and his chocolate eyes looked worried.

"Hitomi? Are you all right? We heard yelling. What happened?"

Hitomi hiccupped. "He—He—! Oh, Hiko, if something happens to him...! If he gets hurt—!"

Merle latched onto her arm. "It's all right, Hitomi. Everything will work out. If anyone can do it, Lord Van can, right?"

Hitomi sniffed and ducked her head, her light hair falling forward. "I just need to be alone for awhile," she muttered. Hiko let go of her shoulders as she pushed past him, jogging slowly for the door. Hiko and Merle traded nervous, worried glances. They poked their heads around the corner of the parlor, but Van, in his anger, did not notice them. He continued to glower at the window. Merle's tail curled anxiously around her legs.

"They've never fought like that before," she murmured.

Hiko stared down the hall, watching where Hitomi had vanished out the door. "She truly cares about him," he replied pensively. "She really wants him to be safe."

* * *

Hitomi lost track of time. After she ran out of the villa, she wandered aimlessly through the surrounding forest and enjoyed the sound of the breeze in the branches and song of the birds. Her anger began to dissipate, and she felt as if she were back in the emerald forests of Fanelia. Occasionally, the wind ripped the through the trees harshly, and Hitomi glanced upward to see the dark clouds gathering. The wind brought soft droplets of rain that felt cool on her bare skin, and she reveled in the sensation. The leaves of the trees spoke in a language all their own, full of wispy consonants and sliding vowels. An old path twined along, littered with twigs, roots, and clusters of leaves. Hitomi peacefully walked until she found herself once again before the villa, the open lawn stretching like a smooth green sea from under her feet. 

A carriage was parked inside the gates of the Schezar home. Hitomi sprinted to it and strolled around the corners, admiring the richness of the construction. She wondered who had come to visit, but she did not have to wait long for the answer. When she heard the sound of the door opening, she ducked behind the carriage and peered around the corner. Millerna and Allen walked out onto the porch. Allen placed his hands heavily on the railing as Millerna lingered nearby.

"Allen, has a healer seen her?"

"Several. They all gave me the same answer: the fever will break soon. There was nothing to be done, just wait it out. But the fever kept coming back, and every time it came, the memories and visions got stronger until she didn't know the difference between reality and fantasy anymore." He hung his head wearily. "I don't know what to do for her, Millerna. Her memory is shattered, and she's so sick..."

"You said the _glar_ leaves helped?"

"Yes. Van brought them from Fanelia."

Millerna's forehead creased as she thought hard. "I'll see what I can do for her, Allen. I'll do my best."

"Thank you, princess. Can I get you anything?"

"Some tea would be nice. And I'll need some fresh towels."

"Of course. Whatever you need."

Hitomi drew back as they entered the villa again. She stared off into space, contemplating their conversation.

"Hitomi? What are you doing out here?"

She jumped. Chid, his blue eyes shining, stood innocently before her. Hitomi raised a hand to her forehead and sighed.

"Chid, you scared me," she said. "I was taking a walk. When did you get here?"

He grinned. "Just a little while ago. We came to see Celena. I was looking for you. I was hoping we could talk."

His enthusiasm made her smile and lightened her heart. "Of course." They moved to the porch steps and sat down, side by side. She glanced sidelong at the little boy and marveled at how tall he had grown.

"Chid, how old are you now?" she asked.

"Thirteen."

Hitomi coughed in surprise. "Thirteen?! You've certainly grown up since the last time I was on Gaea!"

Chid smiled and pushed a lock of blond hair away from his face. "We both have, Hitomi. I asked Van about you when we first arrived, but he seemed irritable and stressed. Is something the matter?"

Hitomi's face fell, and Chid's blue eyes filled with regret. "He's being stubborn," she replied. "He's insisting on returning to Fanelia tomorrow in order to prepare for war, even before the council meetings are over. I tried to tell him to wait, but..."

"Van has always been a little impetuous, but he is a good king and a good man. We must have faith in him, Hitomi. You taught me that. We must have faith and believe in ourselves, and then our dreams will come true."

Hitomi turned to him. "Chid..." She remembered their conversation from long ago when she told him about the power of the stars. He had grown up so much since then, but she could still see the scared little boy who had told her he would never grow up to be like his father. Little droplets of rain from the wind had collected on the strands of his golden hair, and she could see the influences of both of his fathers in his face. A warm smile touched her face.

"Thank you, Chid."

"You're welcome, Hitomi." He paused, a confused look crossing his face. "Hitomi, is something bothering Allen too? I know he's very concerned about his sister, but there seems to be something else as well. He gives me a strange look every time I try to speak with him. I asked Aunt Millerna about it once, and she had the oddest reaction. She stammered and fretted until I finally gave up. Do you know what it's all about, Hitomi?"

She froze. "Well...You see, Chid, I don't know if it's my place..."

His blue eyes widened in earnest. "Oh, please, Hitomi!! I'm old enough now to understand complicated things! Please tell me, Hitomi!"

"Well..."

"Please?"

She took a deep breath. Her thoughts flicked to Allen and Millerna for a moment, and she wondered if Allen would be angry with her if she told Chid the secret. After a moment, she decided that Allen was overburdened with Celena already; he did not need to deal with this too, and Chid was certainly old enough to understand...

"Well, how do I say this? A long time before you were born, your mother still lived at the palace here in Asturia."

"Before she married my father?"

Hitomi could not help but pause. "Yes," she replied reluctantly. "And Allen served as a Knight Caeli within the palace. One of his duties was to escort and protect your mother."

Chid grinned. "That's how they became such good friends! Mother used to tell me all sorts of wonderful stories about Allen!"

"Chid, your mother and Allen were more than friends. They were in love." As the words washed over the young duke's ears, Hitomi hurriedly finished the story. "In your mother's diary, she confirmed that Allen is your father."

Chid sucked in his breath, and his blue eyes widened until the irises were completely surrounded by white. "Allen is my...my _father?_" he whispered, shocked.

Hitomi nodded, and she started to regret telling him the story. Chid turned away from her so that he gazed out over the open lawn. The tumbling thunderclouds mirrored the turmoil within his own eyes. He took a deep breath. "I did ask for the truth. I thank you for your honesty, Hitomi."

"Chid..." she said softly. "The Duke Freid loved you very much. You are still his son."

A light entered his eyes. "Yes," he replied, nodding. "Yes, I am. I am a son to both of them. I hold them both in the highest regard, and they have both taught me much. As have you, Hitomi. I am eternally grateful to you all for helping me. I am a better person and a better ruler because of your friendship."

Hitomi smiled thankfully. "Always so polite and mature, highness."

Chid stood. "If you will excuse me, Hitomi, I have much to contemplate. I hope you will be staying for a long time. I've missed our friendship."

"As have I, Chid."

* * *

Dryden ran a hand through his hair and pushed his glasses closer to his eyes. A slight smirk touched his face as he entered his room, remembering the afternoon with Millerna. He lit a lamp and jumped slightly. A man sat in the chair. 

"Well, I see you already made yourself at home. Why didn't you turn on a light?"

Meiden smirked, looking uncannily like his son. "I thought I'd let the darkness soothe my old eyes." Dryden stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, and his father gestured to the other chair. "Sit down, son." Dryden did so reluctantly.

"What do you want? Why did you want to speak with me?"

Meiden's smirk grew. He leaned his head against his hand. "Can a father not take an interest in his son? I heard you went to the bazaar with the princess this afternoon."

Dryden stiffened. "Yes."

"Things went well?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps you will work your way up the ladder of success again?"

Dryden's hand clenched, and his eyes flashed. "I love her, Father." He paused, glaring at the man over his glasses. "But you wouldn't understand that."

Meiden lifted his chin. "Don't assume things, Dryden. Contrary to what you believe, I do know what love is."

"No, you don't. You know how to love things, material possessions. You love money and power, but you have never known what it is to love a person! To love a woman!" Dryden's voice rose in anger.

"You shouldn't speak to your father in that tone."

Dryden gritted his teeth. "Why did you come? You disowned me after I left. Why do you want to see me now?"

Meiden shifted position, his dark hair spilling over his shoulders. "Still logical and direct, I see. I was informed that you had arrived back in Palas and that you seemed to be...making amends with the princess, and so I thought I would see how you were doing."

"To see if I was on my way back up the ladder of success, you mean."

"If you want to see it that way."

Dryden stood, sighing deeply. "Please leave."

Meiden blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I said, please leave. I don't want to talk to you anymore. You are shallow and condescending, and I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore. Please leave and don't come back." His voice remained calm and polite.

The older man stood slowly, but he did not move for the door. Dryden's back was to him, and he did not see the strange light in his eye. "You say you love her, Dryden, but you are more like me than you know. You say I only love money and power. Well then, how do you know you don't love Millerna for her wealth and power?"

Dryden spun around, his face wild and furious. "_Get out!_ I love Millerna for her kindness and her grace! I would kill myself before I stoop to your level of manipulation and shallowness!! Now get out of here now!"

Meiden left, but Dryden could not forget the triumphant smirk that was plastered on his father's face.

* * *

Van stood in front of the door, raised his hand to knock, then dropped his arm again. He sighed, ducked his head, and tossed his hair out of his eyes, annoyed. Gritting his teeth, he finally forced himself to knock on the door. 

"Coming!"

Van held his breath. Hitomi's bright green eyes widened when she saw him. "Oh. Hello, Van."

"May I come in?"

"Sure." She moved back to let him in. He drew back into the safety of the white gossamer curtains, meeting her bright eyes hesitantly. Hitomi shut the door quietly.

"Allen told me this was his mother's room," Van started awkwardly.

"Yes," Hitomi replied. She drifted to the curtains as well and let the soft fabric run over her hands. The window separated them. "It's very beautiful. I'm honored that Allen let me stay here. I know he loved his mother very much, and I'm sure this room holds many memories for him."

"Hitomi?" He turned away from her and focused his attention on the stormy horizon. Van's eyes lit up as he felt the blood run fast through his veins. "I—I want to apologize. I shouldn't have yelled like that." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "You're right. I—I need to give diplomacy more of a chance. I need to be more patient. And I don't _want_ to fight anymore. But if I have to...If Fanelia's in danger, then I..."

Van trailed off and forced himself to look her in the face. Hitomi stood stunned, her eyes wide and her mouth parted slightly. She had rarely heard Van speak so openly about his feelings. He waited patiently for a response, and he noticed how beautiful she looked with the gossamer curtains billowing around her...

"Van..." she breathed. She bowed her head. "Thank you, Van. I'm sorry too." With her cheeks flushing, she stepped a bit closer to him. "And if you want me to go home, then I will leave...But I would rather stay, I would much rather stay with you. I might be of some help..."

Lightning flashed. They both turned to stare out the window. The cool blue of evening and the dark storm clouds weighed heavily on the earth, and the entire sky rolled with the grey of the storm. Lightning lit up the sky again, throwing everything into sharp relief, and smaller bolts flickered on the horizon so that the sky was constantly illuminated. Yet the storm was still far enough off that they could not hear the thunder. Nature's light show performed brilliantly.

"It's beautiful," Hitomi said.

"It's the calm before the storm," Van murmured.

As Hitomi watched the lightning fork across the sky, she believed him. The storm of war would move closer and closer until they _could_ hear the thunder. But for the moment, she decided to enjoy nature's beautiful display. Carefully, she started to lean to her right, closer to Van. Her heart pounded in her ears.

A scream shot through the house, high pitched and desperate. Hitomi and Van jumped; Van grabbed her and pushed her behind him, his sword halfway out of its scabbard. He glanced over his shoulder at her in confusion, and Hitomi pushed past him.

"That sounded like Celena!" she gasped. They rushed down the hall and burst into Celena's room. Millerna, Merle, Hiko, and Allen wrestled with the girl. She flailed her arms, kicked her legs, whipped her head about, and shrieked and screamed until Hitomi's ears burned with the sound. Tears poured down her pale cheeks, and she continued to valiantly fight against her brother and friends. Finally, Hitomi could discern some sense in her screams, and her green eyes widened.

"The black dragon!! _The black dragon!!_ He's—He's—Fanelia!! _Fanelia, I can see Fanelia!! _No! _No!! __I don't want to go back to that!! _I won't!! No, no—!! _The black dragon!!!_"

Darkness drenched Hitomi's vision. She felt herself swooning and falling, but she could not fight against the blackness. A whooshing filled her ears; she jerked her head to the side, and a black dragon with a green heart detached itself from the dark. It soared around her, roaring, and Hitomi suddenly recognized its hard angles. The black Escaflowne whooshed away, breathing fire. An elegant building with a blue roof caught fire, and the sprawling city below burned. Hitomi shook her head in disbelief, and she heard herself screaming with Celena's voice. A cackling filled her ears, and a tall thin man with cold eyes emerged from the destruction of Fanelia. He laughed evilly, and although she had never seen him herself, she immediately knew him.

Gloved hands shook her shoulder, and a warm, familiar voice yelled her name. She blinked and gasped. Clutching at Van's arms, Hitomi chocked out,

"Van—Desiderius has invaded Fanelia!!"

* * *

Thank you so much for reading!!! I really love getting reviews!! It makes my day!! 


	16. The Burden of Gentle Souls

Hi, everybody!! I'm sorry it took me so long to get this posted, but I'm still very excited about it!! The next chapter should be out much faster because I've had half of it written for months. Okay, well, I hope you enjoy this next chapter, things really start happening...And I would love it if you'd review!! Thanks!!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Escaflowne, and I don't own the song. The translation of the song is my own translation...I'm pretty sure I got it right...::smile::**

* * *

**

_Un jour, un jour tu verras_

_La beauté au coeur d'un combat_

_Le combat n'est pas la guerre_

_Bien plus noble que ça_

_Le combat n'est pas la guerre_

_Bien plus humain que ça_

Translation:

_One day, one day you will see_

_The beauty at the heart of a fight_

_The fight is not the war_

_Much more noble than that_

_The fight is not the war_

_Much more humane than that_

— "Un Jour (Le Combat)" by Yannick Noah

* * *

Allen squinted to see the tiny black dot against the rolling dark clouds. He blinked, and the leviship vanished into the sky. Allen sighed, and Millerna forced a smile. 

"We did the best we could, Allen. We gave them ample reinforcements and the Crusade."

Allen bowed his head. "I should go with them."

Millerna's smile remained strained. "Celena's calmer now. Chid is telling her stories. Dryden should be here any minute with the _glar_ leaves."

"How was he able to get them?"

Her smile softened and became genuine. "He's a merchant! He can get a hold of things faster than I can! He knows who to talk to."

Allen watched her face out of the corner of his eye. She leaned against the doorway, running her fingers absently through her long golden hair. Although the black clouds dimmed everything, her face still shone in the night. Allen felt a smirk twitch his lips.

Dryden leapt off the horse and dashed up the porch steps. Allen straightened and moved to meet him. The merchant held two brown bags. He bowed gracefully to Millerna and nodded to Allen, handing him the bags.

"Forgive me for being so late, but you ask for miracles, my lady," he said courteously.

"Thank you, Dryden," Allen interrupted. "May I invite you in?"

The two men faced each other fully, and Millerna shrank back a step or two. The knight and the merchant stared at each other, and Millerna realized they had not seen each other in over eight years. She could feel the old antagonism electrifying the air. To her surprise, Dryden nodded his head and smiled.

"I would be honored. It was a long journey, and I never knew if the heavens would suddenly decide to pour down upon my head."

Millerna sighed, relaxed, and followed them into the parlor.

* * *

Thunder cracked above Fanelia. Kanta struggled to see through the lashing rain, and she pressed her face against the cold window. The black floating fortress dominated the stormy horizon. Her turquoise eyes hardened. Slowly, she pushed herself away from the window, took a deep breath, and stood up straighter. 

"Lady Kanta?" the messenger asked. He stood nervously behind her. "What are your orders?"

Kanta continued to stare at the floating fortress. Her face remained as stoic as marble, and her features were chiseled with a hard determination. When she spoke, her words hung heavy with authority. "Send out the guymelef garrison. Make sure the gates are locked and secure. Drive away any guymelefs, especially Alseides units. Arm the people. Send the women and children into the mountains. Tell the tacticians to devise a strategy of defense. We do not want to provoke them any further."

"Yes, lady."

She heard the messenger's retreating footsteps. Her shoulders slumped, and her head hung. She took another deep breath and turned away from the window, the crashing thunder rolling over her ears. She shivered with the terrible beauty of the sound.

"Lord Van will be furious if I let Fanelia burn again," she murmured to herself. "He would never forgive me. ...And I would never forgive myself." Hooking her long hair back behind her ears, she set her face again. Fanelia depended on her strength. Van, Merle, and Hitomi counted on her strength and decisions while they were absent. Her spirit shook inside her at the crushing responsibility, but the memory of her fallen angel steadied her. He had believed in her. He had believed she would be an excellent queen. She lifted her chin.

"I won't fail you, Folken," she declared to the empty room.

"Last time I checked, Folken Strategos was dead."

Kanta gasped and whipped around. A tall, thin man with sharp eyes entered the room, flanked by four armed guards. She instantly recognized the symbol on their armor: Zaiboch. The tall man's brown hair fell lightly over his high forehead and partially covered a gold circlet which gleamed dully in the twilight. Kanta backed away fearfully as he calmly drew a sword from the gilded scabbard at his waist.

She bumped into the window; the cold seeped into her back, and she shivered again. The man smiled a twisted smile as he approached her. The guards lingered behind and let him advance alone. Kanta's hands balled into fists. She would not let him frighten her so easily.

"Who are you?! What do you want here?!" she demanded, trying hard to sound arrogant and regal. Her voice still shook slightly, and the man's smile grew when he heard her fear.

"I am Desiderius, the Emperor of Zaiboch," he replied smoothly. He stepped closer to her and raised the sword to her shoulders. "And you must be the Lady Kanta of Fanelia, the regent-queen while King Van Fanel is absent."

Kanta cringed as the sword crept closer and closer to her neck. She started to tremble; his smooth, cold voice laced over her ears and made her hands shake. Her eyes darted desperately around the dark room, but she could see no escape. Swallowing with difficulty, she listened as he started to speak again.

"We intercepted your little messenger. I'm sorry to inform you that your orders to send out of the garrison will never be received. He did put up a good struggle." Desiderius's thin mouth twisted into a smirk. "Your efforts would have been gallant, my lady, but Zaiboch has already occupied Fanelia. We have won."

Her turquoise eyes flashed dangerously, and she stopped trembling as anger ripped through her. "You will never win so easily! Lord Van won't let you! _I won't let you!!_"

The anger instantly turned back into ice cold fear. Desiderius smiled calmly and placed the tip of the sword under her chin. Kanta's breath hitched in her throat as he tilted her face upwards. He leaned close to her, and she trembled as she felt his lips moving near her ear.

"Lady Kanta, has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"

* * *

Hitomi lurched from the cot, flung the blankets aside, and stumbled across the cold floor to the cot on the opposite wall. She furiously shook Merle's shoulder, ignoring her groggy groans, until the cat-girl finally leapt up with flashing eyes and claws bared. 

"Hitomi!! Don't _do_ that!" She blinked at Hitomi's frightened face and lowered her paws. "What's the mater?"

"Kanta's in trouble," she gushed. She could still feel Kanta's cold fear pulsing through her own veins, and she shivered at the memory of Desiderius's warm breath on her ear. "Desiderius has invaded Fanelia and captured Kanta. A floating fortress controls everything."

Merle jerked out of her blankets. "Come on!! We have to go tell Lord Van!" She tugged on Hitomi's hand, then dropped to all fours with Hitomi jogging behind her. The Asturian guards jumped aside to let them pass, and Merle barreled into the control room, skidding to a stop.

"_LORD VAN!!!_" Her voice echoed loudly. Everyone turned to stare at her, and Hitomi timidly cowered behind her. Merle stood up confidently, placed her hands on her hips, and focused her attention on Van's serious face.

"All right, everybody, listen up! We have important news!!" She paused for a moment, choosing her words. "Fanelia is overrun!! A floating fortress commands the city, and Desiderius has taken prisoners!"

Hiko pushed forward. "Prisoners? Like civilians?"

Merle shook her head but glanced worriedly at Van. "He's captured Kanta."

She watched nervously for his reaction, but his face only hardened more severely. An Asturian soldier called to her, and she reluctantly turned to face him.

"How do you know this?" he demanded.

Merle seethed, and her tail bristled. "How do you think?! Hitomi saw it in a dream!!" She gestured toward Hitomi, who bowed her head meekly. The soldier looked suspicious. Merle huffed. "Idiot!! Don't you know Hitomi Kanzaki, the Seer form the Mystic Moon?! She's the reason we won the Gaean War in the first place! You better thank her for keeping your country from being taken over by Zaiboch!! Now I want to see some action! You all better come up with a good way to storm that floating fortress and rescue Kanta or you'll have more than a few scratches when I get through with you!!"

The Asturian soldiers murmured amongst themselves, but Merle's threat worked. The crew of the Crusade and the soldiers instantly stopped loitering around and jumped to work. Merle returned to Hitomi, rolling her eyes. Hitomi clasped her hands demurely.

"Thanks for standing up for me, Merle," she breathed.

Merle smiled. "No problem. Those guys are idiots." Hitomi's mouth curved into a grateful smile. "And if even one hair on Kanta's head is harmed, I'll rip them all the shreds!" Merle started to giggle.

"Is she hurt?" Van's voice cut harshly through her laughter as he and Hiko joined them. They could feel Van's anger hanging in the air around him. Hitomi reluctantly answered his question.

"No, she's fine. Just scared. Desiderius won't hurt her."

Hiko's eyebrows creased. "Why not?"

Hitomi squirmed. "Because he thinks she's beautiful."

Van tensed, and his eyes narrowed and smoldered. "If he even _thinks_ of touching her...!!" he growled. His hands clenched, and his composure darkened. Slowly, he took a deep breath. "Merle, Hitomi...I want you to stay here on the leviship during the battle so that I know you're safe."

Merle's ears swivelled, but she sensed the depression in his voice. "Sure, Lord Van," she replied cheerfully. "You be careful too. Bring Kanta back safe and sound. She and I still have to decorate the memorial with the white roses." Hitomi marveled at her cheerfulness. Van remained stoic and serious. He turned slowly to Hiko.

"And you too, Hiko. I would have you stay and watch over Merle and Hitomi while I'm away."

Hiko started in surprise. "But I can fight!" he exclaimed. "I can help. I've trained hard, you know I have!"

Van shook his head. "I would spare you the horrors of battle. Please do this for me, Hiko. I would not entrust their safety to a lesser man."

After a moment, Hiko bowed his head. "All right. I'll protect them."

Van nodded. "Thank you. Hitomi, could we speak alone?"

Hitomi jumped in surprise, nodded shyly, and followed him away from the control room and into her room. She pressed a hand to her stomach in a desperate attempt to make the butterflies go away. Her mind vividly replayed the last time they had been alone together—when Van had apologized to her, and she had nearly gotten the courage to tell him...However, the moment the door shut behind him, all of Van's anger and stress suddenly melted away until only a depressed, lost man stood before her. Hitomi's jitters were instantly replaced with concern. She had never seen Van look so weak...

"Van?" she ventured hesitantly. "Van, what's the matter?"

"Hitomi, I—" His shoulders tensed, and he could not look at her. "I don't know if...if I'm going to be coming back," he finally breathed.

Her heart froze. She remembered Merle and quickly put on a cheery face. "Don't be silly. You're a great warrior and a great guymelef pilot. You're the commander of an _Ispano_ guymelef! If anyone can do it, you can, Van. I believe in you."

Van worked his jaw before speaking again. "It's just—I hate fighting. I hate war and battles and death. I'm so sick of fighting..." He kept his gaze fixed on a spot near her left foot, but now he forced himself to meet her wide eyes. "But I'll keep fighting until all this has finally ended. I'll fight to protect you, Hitomi. I promise I'll keep you safe."

Hitomi could not speak. The gentleness and tenderness she heard in his voice struck her speechless.

_This world is difficult for a gentle soul such as yours to bear._

Hitomi looked up, searching for the source of the voice. _Folken?!_ Nothing sounded but the distant whir of the levistones. Hitomi shook her head to clear her mind. Meanwhile, a knock sounded, and Van opened the door. Hitomi heard Gaddes's voice.

"Sir, we are arriving in Fanelia. We need you to review the battle plans."

"Yes, of course. Thank you, Gaddes." Van turned and bowed to Hitomi. "Excuse me, Hitomi. Thank you." The door shut, and his familiar red shirt disappeared.

Hitomi trembled. "Van..." He had hardly ever bowed to her before, and his aloofness and formality coupled with his confession frightened her. But she felt frail herself, and she folded down upon herself weakly. She crouched in the middle of the floor hugging her knees. Voices rang discordantly in her head.

_I'll fight to protect you, Hitomi..._

_I'll keep my promise._

_You're the one making Van and the others suffer._

_It's my fault..._

_I promise I'll keep you safe._

_BROTHER!!!_

"Not again," Hitomi whispered, rocking on her toes. "No, please, not again..."

* * *

Cold, wet wind lashed Desiderius's face. His pale cheeks glistened with rain like the smooth inside of an oyster shell. Lightning lit up the darkness of the floating fortress he stood upon, and it illuminated the greed in his sharp, thin eyes. The rain poured down, creating a dreary grey landscape below. As the thunder rolled, Desiderius stepped off the small balcony and into the large bedchamber. He wiped the water off his face with his sleeve, then sat down on the edge of the bed, calmly facing Kanta. The woman sat against the wall with her hands tied tightly together. Desiderius leaned forward, his long, tapered fingers intertwined. 

"Lady Kanta, it seems you were correct. An Asturian leviship carrying Van Fanel is approaching this floating fortress."

Kanta brightened. "I knew Van would come! He won't let you burn Fanelia again!"

Desiderius's eyebrow lifted. "Is that what you're all afraid of? Well, then, let me assure you, Lady Kanta, I have no intention of burning the city. In fact, I have no desire to harm Fanelia at all."

"Then why did you invade?!"

"Because you have something I want. And now that I have control of it, I am perfectly willing to conquer Fanelia in peace, without any fighting or bloodshed. Whether or not fighting occurs is up to you, my dear. And from the looks of things, your little king is planning a full scale assault."

* * *

Merle and Hiko stood numbly in the background as the orders rolled over their ears. The crew and the soldiers checked supplies and weapons. Reeden constantly checked their position. Merle's tail waved faster and faster as the floating fortress loomed larger and larger on the horizon. They banked sharply to the right, drifting down and to the side so they could board from behind and hopefully meet less resistance. 

"We have to take out the floating fortress first," Gaddes explained. "Once we take that, then the soldiers in the city will be easy."

"All right. We're in position."

"Anchors released!"

"Steady. Wait for the tethers."

"Once the doors open—"

"Release the tethers! Cut the propellor!"

"Open the doors!! _Board!!!_"

Merle cringed as the soldiers flooded out into the rain. She kept sight of the red shirt and raven hair for as long as she could, but Van and the soldiers soon disappeared into the yawning darkness of the floating fortress. At first, they could dimly hear the clash of swords, but then there was nothing but silence.

"Release one of the tethers," Kio ordered. "That way we're out of range. If they need to return, we'll reattach it."

Merle adjusted her footing as the leviship moved away from the fortress. Her ears drooped drastically. Hiko placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"Lord Van had better come back all right. With Kanta too," she muttered despondently.

"He will," Hiko assured.

"We must have faith in him."

Hiko and Merle turned. Hitomi strode forward seriously, pushing the hair off her face. Merle studied her, taking in the pink bermuda shorts, the white shirt, and the weariness under her emerald eyes. Hitomi herself felt as though she were treading on the thin ice of her mentality, and the weight of her worries caused the ice to crack dangerously beneath her feet. But she set her face stubbornly.

"We must have faith in him," she repeated, "but I think we also have to help them. I know where Desiderius is holding Kanta, and Van and the others won't find it easily."

Merle's eyes lit up. "So we better go help!" Hitomi nodded, and the two girls started to leave. Hiko jogged to catch up.

"Wait. At least let me come with you. Van wanted me to protect you, and I know he'll kill me if anything happens to you two. Let me help."

Hitomi smiled at him. "Then let's go."

They glanced around, and the moment Kio was occupied with the levitation gauges, they dashed through the door to the outside of the leviship. The wind whipped harshly at them, and the lashing rain instantly soaked them to the bone. They hurried under the safety of the folded sails. Hiko pushed the wet hair off his forehead, and Merle roughly shook the water from her fur.

"How are we going to get across?" Hiko asked. He glanced nervously at the open expanse between the floating fortress and the leviship. "That's a long fall."

Hitomi crept out from under the wing; the rain started to let up slightly until it was just a dull grey drizzle. She moved cautiously along the edge of the leviship, measuring the open distance. A tether stretched across the sky, and Hitomi watched it sway contemplatively.

"Oh, no, Hitomi! We are _NOT_ using that tether to get across!!!" Merle yelled. "Some of us aren't as athletic as you, and we can't do a ten-foot long jump!! I would prefer to _not_ die today, thank you very much!!"

Hitomi turned back to her. "You wouldn't have to jump. You just have to inch across."

Merle shook her head violently. "No way!! We'll fall to our deaths!! Hitomi—! Hitomi, what are you doing?! Hitomi, listen to me! You'll get yourself killed!!"

Merle and Hiko rushed out into the rain as Hitomi swung her leg over the tether and started to shimmy across. She kicked off the side of the leviship and kept the slick tether tight between her hands, using her arms to pull herself along. She could still hear Merle yelling at her, and she smirked to herself. As the tether sloped downward, she kept her eyes trained on the platform of the floating fortress and tried to ignore the gentle swaying of the tether in the wind. Her hands and arms soon ached. The empty air beneath her feet unnerved her, but she gritted her teeth and pulled herself forward.

A blast of wind hit her hard. Her hands slipped, she shrieked, and she desperately locked her ankles as her body leaned too far to the right. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she toppled over, her stomach flipping, and the wind whooshing ominously in her ears. Her ankles caught her, and she gripped the tether convulsively until her knuckles turned white. She waited until everything stopped swaying and moving. Her hair fell strangely. Hitomi slowly opened her eyes to find herself dangling upside down, staring up at the flat grey sky. A raindrop hit her nose. Hitomi sucked in a breath and swung her leg back over and strained her knee so that she forced herself upright again. Letting out a huge sigh of relief, she continued slowly onward. When she scrambled onto the floating fortress, she sat on her knees and relished the feeling of solid ground beneath her legs.

"Come on, Merle!" she called. "You're a cat, this should be easy for you!! Or are you afraid of a little rope?"

Hitomi grinned in triumph as Merle's distant face contorted in anger. "I'll show you how a cat does it!" she shouted indignantly. She backed up, dropped to all fours, and took a running start. When she reached the tether, she stood up without slowing down and dashed lithely across without a care. With her feet firmly on the fortress, she placed her hands on her hips, glared, and stuck out her tongue at Hitomi. Hitomi merely smiled.

"Okay, Hiko!" Merle yelled. "Your turn!"

Hiko paled, but he inched across the tether nonetheless, pulling himself along as Hitomi had. Hitomi held her breath nervously, but the wind lessened, and the drizzle lightened. Hiko clambered up onto the platform, shaken but unhurt. He shook his head at them.

"You girls are absolutely insane!"

Merle chuckled. They pulled open a door and ducked inside the dark silence of the floating fortress. Merle tugged on Hitomi's arm. "Okay, Hitomi. Where's Kanta?"

Hitomi turned slowly, blinking in the soft light. Dimly, she could hear the far-off sound of clashing swords and battle cries. She shut her eyes and imagined the pendant. It swung before her like a thin pendulum, and she pictured Kanta clearly in her mind. She remembered the woman holding the pearlescent white rose with her luxuriant brown hair tumbling down her back and her strange, beautiful turquoise eyes filled with sadness, strength, and determination. The pendant swung innocently back and forth, then whipped forward. Hitomi started to run down the hall. Hiko and Merle followed silently.

The pendant swung to the left, then to the right. The dark halls of the floating fortress blurred before her eyes in a confusing and disorienting swirl of grey, but she kept the image of Kanta sharp in her mind, and the pendant guided them faithfully. They dashed around another corner and slipped into a large open room with a desk on the far side. It looked like an office.

"Where now?" Merle whispered.

Hitomi paused in the middle of the room. Dull light fell through the windows above the desk. The distant sounds of the battle at the center of the fortress did not penetrate here, and the silence unnerved her. She glanced around, but the room was empty except for the desk and the windows. Hitomi slowly turned to the left.

"The pendant says she's here, but..."

They stared at a solid silver wall. Hiko pressed against it, and Merle dropped to the ground to investigate the bottom. Hitomi pressed her ear against the cold metal, hoping she would hear voices, but she heard nothing.

Merle's tail waved wildly, and Hiko and Hitomi both looked down at her curiously. Merle pressed a finger to her lips and then pried at a small crack in between the wall and the floor. Hiko bent down and followed the crack up the wall. Hitomi gasped in surprise; she could now see the thin outline of a door in the wall. Merle's nails clacked loudly against the metal, but she pried and scraped with all her might, and Hitomi and Hiko dropped to their knees to tugged at the corners, desperate to open the door.

Suddenly, it swung open, and they were flung back. They sprawled on the floor, looking up at the thin man. Hitomi felt the breath catch in her throat. This was the man she had seen in her visions, the man with the cold grey eyes. He glowered down at them, and then a twisted smirk tilted his lips. He turned away from them with a swish of his robes.

"Welcome to my floating fortress. Please come in. You will find the Lady Kanta safe and sound. That is why you have come, is it not?"

Hitomi shivered at his voice, but they scrambled inside. The door swung shut behind them, closing them inside the large bedroom. Kanta perched rigidly on the side of the bed with her hands tied in front of her. Merle rushed to her, and Kanta stared at them in disbelief.

Hiko kept his eyes focused on Desiderius and gripped the hilt of his sword. The man strode confidently through the room and wandered onto a small balcony with a low railing. He did not seem to notice the rain but instead glanced at the leviship and then towards the front of the floating fortress.

"I am surprised you found this room with such ease. It was designed to be nearly impossible to discover."

They remained silent and traded nervous glances. Kanta's skin looked pale with fear. Hiko set his face and drew his sword. The swish sounded loud within the bedchamber. Desiderius eyed him curiously.

"Release the Lady Kanta and surrender your hold on Fanelia," Hiko declared. He brandished the sword. "Retreat from these lands and perhaps you will be allowed to live!"

Desiderius chuckled, and Hiko deflated slightly. "Your words have temerity for one so inexperienced, Master Munama," the emperor silkily stated. Hiko started at the sound of his name. "You apparently do not understand that although your friends have successfully stormed my floating fortress, I am still the one with the advantage!"

Hiko yelled out in surprise as the man rushed forward with a sword drawn. The swords clashed. Hiko threw his weight onto his back leg and glared at the man across the crossed steel. Desiderius's grey eyes blazed. He pushed forward, Hiko was forced back, and the edges of the blades skittered with the force of the contact. Hiko's arms shook.

"Hiko!" Hitomi yelled.

Hiko glared, swung, and jerked away. "Stay back, Hitomi!" He jumped away from a swipe and dashed inside, swinging upward. Desiderius leapt back, barely blocking in time. Hiko swelled with confidence and hacked forward, the room vibrating with the metallic clash of swords.

Hitomi's eyes flicked from one fighter to the other. Her whole body trembled, and she felt helpless. Desiderius moved smoothly and fluidly, but Hiko was bigger than him, and his attacks carried more power. She watched Desiderius's arms jar with each blow. Hiko cried out and whacked with all his strength. Desiderius stumbled and stepped back. Thunder boomed.

Hiko felt pain rip up his left leg. His eyesight blurred, and his knees buckled. In the background, Hitomi and Merle shrieked, and Hiko toppled to the floor. Dazed, he watched blood ooze from a slash in his pants. He felt dizzy and eased his eyes shut. Above him, Desiderius panted and grinned evilly.

"You mustn't leave yourself open," he puffed. "Watch yourself."

Hitomi rushed to Hiko and helped him lean against the wall. She pulled the hair back from his face. He breathed heavily. Anger pulsed through her.

"Well, well, well. Unless one of you ladies suddenly becomes an expert in swordsmanship, then it appears I have won. There is no one left to protect you." Desiderius grinned.

Hitomi leapt to her feet. "Van will come and save us!" she shouted.

Desiderius's eyebrows lifted, and he started to chuckle again. "The Draconian? That Draconian?! He won't be saving you. Don't you know about Draconians, girl? All who come near them die!!"

"That's not true!!" Merle screamed. Kanta shouted at her to stay put, but the cat-girl sprung over the bed and flung herself at the emperor. Desiderius raised his arm and whacked her with the back of the sword. Merle flew back, and her head smashed against the wall. She slumped to the floor. Kanta rushed to her.

Hitomi trembled violently, angrily. Her eyes flashed. "You will cause no more pain!" she shouted, stepping towards him purposefully. "Van will come. Van will avenge his homeland and all the people you have hurt! Van will bring peace to Gaea!!"

Hitomi suddenly found Desiderius's bloody sword pressed against her collarbone. The emperor's eyes hardened. He dug the edge of the blade into her neck. Hitomi gasped and started to back away. He followed her. The twisted smirk returned.

"King Van Fanel may indeed come, but he will be able to do little."

She continued to back up, but the sword edge followed her mercilessly. Rain pelted her head as they stepped onto the balcony.

"The Empire of Zaiboch will spread until it engulfs the whole of Gaea. The power of Fate Alteration will govern everything. And I will control it all with the Black Dragon soaring in the skies!"

Her legs hit the balcony railing. Hitomi gasped. "Black dragon?" she repeated, staring up into his sharp grey eyes. He glared down at her.

"I will not have the Girl from the Mystic Moon interfering again!"

His elbow dug into her chest. Her knees bent, and her footing failed. She felt herself slipping, falling. Hitomi flailed, desperately reached for him, and her stomach dropped. She screamed. Blood pounded in her ears, wind rushed past her, and everything spiraled away from her. Her vision blurred, and she caught at air in a vain attempt to stop her downward plunge. Her mind went completely blank.

Strong arms caught her. Her heart jarred, and she clung to her savior, clutching his shoulders tightly. They descended slowly. When her mind stopped spinning, she finally opened her eyes and lessened her hold. Her feet rested on solid ground. She blinked at the white feathers in front of her. Carefully, she pulled back to see wild raven hair, a handsome tan face, and soft maroon eyes. Van held her gently, waiting until she calmed down. She noticed that he simply stared at her. She started to step away from him, but his arms tightened around her waist.

"Van...?" she breathed shakily. She had seen the expression on his face once before. It had been the first time she had seen his wings, and he had stood solidly before her with that distant, otherworldly look in his soft eyes. The drizzle came down softly around them.

He leaned toward her. Hitomi's mind instantly became numb. He kissed her so softly and tenderly that her heart swelled with sadness. Her eyelids flickered, and she slowly kissed him back, her emotions a mixture of sorrow and bliss. He slowly pulled away from her, and his maroon eyes held an immense sadness. Hitomi trembled in his arms.

With a great beat of his shining wings, he launched himself back into the air. He turned and flew back to the floating fortress, back to the battle, and left her standing alone in the rain with teardrops slipping down her cheeks.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Please review?? 


	17. Fitting Destiny

I'm back!! I sincerely apologize that it took me SO LONG to get back on this!! I got distracted, but I'm back now, and there won't be such a long wait between this chapter and the next one, I promise!! Thanks for the patience, everybody!!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Escaflowne, and I don't own the song either. I only claim the characters I came up with.

* * *

_We were meant to live for so much more_

_Have we lost ourselves?_

_Somewhere we live inside_

_Somewhere we live inside_

_Dreaming about Providence_

_And whether mice or men have second tries_

_Maybe we've been living with our eyes half open_

_Maybe we're bent and broken_

— "Meant to Live" by Switchfoot

* * *

Kanta scrambled to Hiko, gripped his sword between her knees, and rammed her bound hands against the blade. She sawed at the rope frantically; she could hear Hitomi yelling at Desiderius behind her. Her turquoise eyes narrowed as the frayed bits of rope twirled around her wrists. Desiderius's voice drifted out from the balcony. The rope dropped away.

Kanta leapt to her feet. Desiderius jammed his elbow into Hitomi's chest, and she fell over the balcony. Kanta screamed and rushed forward, pushing Desiderius out of the way and gripping the railing desperately. A burst of white erupted in the grey sky, and Van plucked Hitomi's falling form out of the sky. Kanta relaxed, closed her eyes, and sent up a silent prayer of thanks. She turned away from the balcony and stepped towards Desiderius. The man stared at her complacently, although she could see anger flashing behind his grey eyes. Without hesitating, Kanta slapped him hard across the face. He glared menacingly at her, but Kanta gave him a murderous look of her own. Disgusted, she turned away from him and knelt down in front of Merle and Hiko.

Concern and worry instantly consumed her as she pushed Merle's pink hair away from her forehead. The cat-girl was still breathing, but a large bruise on her skull marred her scalp. The cat-girl groaned and mumbled in her pain, but Kanta smiled with relief. Merle would be all right. She turned swiftly to Hiko. He breathed shallowly, his eyes shut tight against the pain. The wound in his left leg still bled. Kanta tore at the hem of her dress, ripping strips of the fabric, and gently placed her hand on Hiko's cheek. The chocolate eyes blinked hazily.

"Hiko, look at me. This is Kanta. I'm going to bandage your leg now, but I need you to stay with me. All right?"

His lashes glided down to cast small shadows on the skin. "H–Hitomi?"

Kanta lifted his leg and firmly wrapped the cloth around it. "Van's taking care of her." She smiled at him. "And Merle's going to be fine too. Don't worry, Hiko. Everything will work out."

Hiko nodded, his eyes falling shut. Kanta panicked for a moment, afraid he had fainted, but then his lips twitched, and he opened his eyes.

Desiderius towered behind her as she knotted and tightened the tourniquet. She could feel his eyes glaring at her. "I should hurt you for your insolence. I can stand to see your beautiful eyes full of hatred or fear, but I could not bear to seem them full of pain."

Kanta hooked her hair behind her ears. "Thank you for your consideration," she spat sarcastically. She took a deep breath and held on to Hiko's hand for comfort. She felt his fingers squeeze back. Desiderius's thin fingers pulled her hair back behind her shoulders, making her stiffen and shiver. She leapt to her feet and spun to face him in a desperate attempt to keep his fingers away from her. She shuddered involuntarily as Desiderius's eyes lingered on her face and neck, pausing at the ring hanging from the chain around her neck.

"You were to be the bride of Folken Strategos, isn't that right, Kanta?" he breathed. "If circumstances were different, you and he would be the rulers of Fanelia rather than Van. But this way you can be the wife of the Emperor of Gaea instead of just the wife of the king of simple Fanelia."

Her voice caught raggedly in her throat and grated with anger. "I will take my own life before I will be your bride!" She took a deep breath to calm herself, and her voice took on a contemptuous air. "You should be grateful to Folken," she said. "By killing Dornkirk, he put you in the position you are today. You own him your power."

Desiderius backed away, and a strange light entered his eyes. His thin lips twitched crookedly upward. He chuckled softly. "Oh, no. Oh, darling Kanta, so naive. I don't owe Folken Strategos, I own someone much more powerful." The crooked grin grew, and a cold dread wriggled down Kanta's spine.

"I was nineteen when the Fate Alteration Engine summoned the Escaflowne to Zaiboch. I worked under the scientists and performed Fate Alteration experiments. I was assigned to help dismember the guymelef, but when I looked into the green heart, I heard a whispering voice."

Kanta took a step backward; the avaricious, rapacious look in his sharp eyes only increased the chills coursing through her. Her thoughts scattered wildly, but they continued to come back to one point: _Energists cannot speak!_

Desiderius continued, his face becoming more euphoric by the minute. "It told me of its power and of the power I could have as well. It knew that the time was not right, that it needed to gather its strength in Atlantis before it would save Gaea. So I took the energist out and replaced it with the pink one. I kept it safe during the war, and its power grew with each passing day. After I was named regent, it vanished and went to the ruins of Atlantis on the Mystic Moon. Now it has returned, stronger than it has ever been, and now we are ready to conquer Gaea. Now is the time for the Black Dragon to fly."

Kanta jerked away. "You're mad!" She heard Merle groan and rushed to her. The cat-girl's blue eyes flickered open, and Kanta breathed a sigh of relief. Reaching for Hiko's hand again, she squeezed tightly, grateful to have them awake. They both gave her small smiles in return.

A whoosh of wind caused her to turn. Desiderius stood at the balcony, the wind whipped his robes regally about him, and beyond him, the dragon-formed Escaflowne rose into the sky. Hiko, who had only seen it asleep, balked at its strength and power. But Kanta and Merle both gasped in shock because it was not the Escaflowne they recognized. A green heart illuminated the shiny ebony armor of the Black Dragon.

* * *

Allen reluctantly walked to his room. He dragged his feet, uneasy to leave Celena's side. She had fallen into a restless sleep, tossing and turning and fighting against invisible enemies. But Millerna insisted the fever had dropped and that the dreams were calmer. She demanded that he rest and sleep, but Allen knew he would not rest while his sister still burned with fever.

A small shadow detached itself from the darkness. Chid stood quietly in the hallway, and the candles on the wall gave his round cheeks an orange red glow. The light made his eyes look like a burning sunset over a dark ocean, and Allen paused at the door to him room, waiting for the child-king to speak.

"Allen? May I speak with you?" Chid stepped further into the hallway and took a deep breath. He gripped his hands into fists to keep his fingers from trembling. "I know why my mother told me stories about you now. She did want we to view you as a role model so I would be a good ruler, but I now know that she also wanted to tell me about my real father."

Allen started a little in surprise, but then he sighed deeply. "Who told you?" he asked gently.

"Hitomi."

The corners of Allen's mouth turned up in a smile. "Naturally." Then he paused, choosing his words. "I meant to tell you one day when I was ready to be a father. Duke Freid was a much better father to you than I could ever be. I never had a father; he left us when I was very young, and I spent most of my life hating him. I don't want that to happen to you, Chid. But I don't know yet how to be a father." He dropped his eyes, then lifted his gaze again to Chid's face.

Chid smiled softly. "I think of both of you as my fathers now. I thank you for your honesty, Allen. Since Hitomi told me, I've done a lot of thinking, and I am glad to be your son. Please don't be angry with Hitomi. I asked her to tell me."

"I'm glad she told you, son. I couldn't have picked a better person."

* * *

Millerna closed the door to Celena's room softly. In the resulting calm, Celena's blue eyes flicked open. She inhaled deeply. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale, and her heart thunked against her ribs. She wiggled under the blankets, her thin fingers twitching spasmodically on the white pillow case. She blinked and lay still. Her blood rushed inside of her, and although she lay perfectly still in the bed, inside her body, everything moved. Her heartbeat quickened, and she sucked in air. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale... Her skin wriggled over her muscles, her heart pumped blood at lightning speed, and her lungs expanded and contracted with each sharp intake of breath. She blinked and no longer saw the white sheets. Instead, she saw a green land spreading beneath her with a city to her left and a floating fortress to her right. In her mind, she flew higher and higher, and flying like this felt better than flying in Alseides...

A part of her mind faltered and screamed in terror, but the thin lips remained shut. The sense of flying vanished, and the white sheets of the bed returned. The dominate part of the mind smothered the screaming part, and pale arms pushed the body into a sitting position. A twisted smirk crossed the face as a strand of white hair fell in front of the red eyes.

* * *

Millerna closed the door to Celena's room softly. She sighed deeply, thankful that Celena was finally sleeping peacefully. The corner to the parlor glowed and flickered with the shifting light of a reading lamp. Millerna slowly turned the corner and pressed the strand of pearls against the dip in her throat so her pulse beat against the cool curvature. Dryden sat in a chair reading a thick book. After a minute, he flicked the page with his thumb, and his green eyes jumped to the top of the page. Millerna watched the glasses slip down his sharp nose with a small smile on her face. The reading lamp at his elbow cast mottled shadows on his cheeks and neck, and he periodically pushed his round glasses closer to his dark lashes.

"Celena's better. She's sleeping now, at least," Millerna announced, sitting lightly on a chair hear him. Politely, Dryden closed the book to listen to her, one finger stuck between the pages to mark his place. "Where is Chid?" she continued.

"I believe I heard him speaking with Allen."

"Oh. All right." Millerna paused, at a loss for words. Her hand drifted absently to her neck to play with the pearls. As Dryden started to reopen the book, she said, "I want to thank you again for the pearls, Dryden. They're lovely."

"You're welcome."

"And for getting the _glar_ leaves for Celena. I know that was short notice."

Dryden's eyes met hers. "I'm glad I can help, princess."

Millerna deflated and stood, stepping away and angling her back towards him. "You're still calling me 'princess,'" she mumbled. She heard a dull thunk as Dryden closed the book and set it on the table. A swish of movement told her he had stood up as well.

"I am not yet the man you deserve," he replied gravely. His voice sounded low and heavy.

Millerna spun around in anger, her golden hair flashing in the warm lamplight. "Don't you think_ I_ should be the judge of that?! Listen to _me_ for a minute, Dryden Fassa! Stop berating yourself and measuring yourself against some perfect ideal, and listen to me! _I_ am the only person who will decide who's deserving of me! I've spent years figuring out who I am and what I want, and I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions!" She paused, and when she continued, her voice was gentler. "You said you'd make me fall for you. I don't know how you did it, but you did. Because I've fallen for you, Dryden. I love you."

Dryden stared at her for a long time, as if he were trying to decide if she spoke the truth or not, and Millerna shook nervously under his gaze. Her heart pounded in her ears. After a moment, he took the few steps to close the distance between them and kissed her softly. Millerna's eyes closed, and she completely relaxed as his arms came up to encircle her waist.

"_Allen!!_"

Dryden and Millerna instantly broke apart and turned at Chid's frightened yell. A strange man in a tattered shirt and ripped pants stumbled into the parlor. Within his thin arms, Chid struggled desperately, a knife pressed to his neck and his sapphire eyes wide with terror. The man saw Millerna and Dryden and dragged Chid to the other side of the room, jamming the knife into the boy's throat. Allen dashed in from the hall, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Come any closer, and I'll kill him!" the man declared in a raspy voice. In the dimness, his white hair gleamed with deep red highlights that emphasized his blood red eyes. Chid trembled in fear, and Millerna and Dryden stared in shock. Allen shook with rage.

"Release him at once, Celena. Let go of my son."

"Celena?" the man spat. "I am the wings of the Black Dragon! I am Dilandau Albatou!" He paused, and the red eyes widened in realization and drifted down to look at the top of Chid's golden head. The boy felt the tension and excitement in Dilandau's grip. A smirk twisted his face.

"You're the son of Allen Schezar?" Dilandau murmured. Chid's eyes flew wide open, and he trembled uncontrollably before nodding mutely. He stared across the room at Dryden, Millerna, and Allen, and he saw his own terrified face reflected in their eyes. And as his whole body shuddered and his blue eyes shook with tears, Chid suddenly stiffened and blinked and hardened his face.

Dilandau leered, and he met Allen's furious eyes. "Then watch your son die!!"

Chid yelled and kicked back with all his strength. He hit Dilandau's kneecap, and then man recoiled in pain. Chid wiggled his fingers in between his neck and the knife and forced it away from him, the blade slitting the flesh of his fingers, flung the yelling Dilandau off him and ran as fast as he could into Millerna's arms. She clutched the boy protectively to her, and Dryden gripped Millerna's shoulder, guiding her and Chid back into the corner so that he shielded them. Across the room, Dilandau seethed in anger and pain, his red eyes blazing like flame. Allen calmly stepped closer to him.

"Celena," he said firmly. "End this now."

Dilandau's eyes twitched, and the pupils expanded and contracted rapidly. Laughter welled up from his chest as he sauntered forward, adjusting his grip on the knife. Allen stood placidly, watching Dilandau's movements carefully. The dark chuckles subsided, and Dilandau glared menacingly.

"Allen Schezar...I've dreamed of this day for a long time. The day I kill you!!"

Millerna screamed as Dilandau launched forward. Allen threw his weight into his back foot and caught Dilandau's arm with the knife. He reached to grab it away, but Dilandau growled and leaped back.

"Come on, Allen! Aren't you going to fight back?!" Allen did not answer, and Dilandau's face twisted in hatred. He stood before Allen and punched him. Millerna gasped in shock, but Allen stood still.

"Fight me!" Dilandau yelled, hitting Allen's face and shoulders over and over. "Fight back!! Hurt me! Hurt me!!"

When Allen still refused to react, Dilandau back away, disgusted. He raised the knife, and his eyes flashed dangerously. "If you won't fight back..." He drew the knife across his arm and yelled in pain. Millerna gasped, and Allen jerked in surprise. Dilandau grinned masochistically as the blood dripped down his arm and lifted the knife to hurt himself again. Allen rushed to him, reaching for the knife.

"Celena! _No!_ Don't!!" he cried. He grabbed for the knife, his hand closing on air as Dilandau yelled and squirmed. He ducked his white head, and as Allen reached for his wrist, Dilandau smirked and plunged the knife into Allen's stomach.

Allen yelled, and Dilandau laughed. Dryden held Millerna and Chid close to him. Allen staggered back, breathing hard, and fell to his knees. Dilandau cackled triumphantly, laughing so hard he stumbled back into the table. The reading lamp jerked, rolled on its base, then dropped to the floor with a dull thunk. The glass cracked, and the flame spread across the floor. Dilandau turned at the noise, and his face broke into a gigantic smile at the sight of the fire.

"Yes!!" he exclaimed. "Burn! Yes, burn! _Burn!!_" He laughed maniacally and turned to glare at Dryden, Millerna, and Chid. The small flame made his eyes glow ruby red. He held the bloodied knife up and rushed at them.

Dryden threw himself in front of Dilandau, shielding Millerna and Chid.

* * *

Van had never flown for so long in his entire life. He had always hidden his wings, kept them folded up underneath his skin, and only revealed them to stretch them for a brief period. But he had been cursed since his birth because he was the son of a Draconian, and it was his destiny to wage war. It was his destiny to carry the responsibility and the burden of war for all of Gaea. The air lifted him into the sky, he tilted his wings to catch the dragon wind, and he soared straight for the Black Escaflowne. The armored dragon raced upwards with him, the purple wings stretched tight in the wind. Van's clouded eyes narrowed. The last remnants of Dornkirk's empire would be destroyed by the royal sword of Fanelia. He would end the blight of war by defeating the last legendary war machine on Gaea.

And fittingly, Escaflowne's demise would mark the end of its pilot as well.

His wings left trails of white feathers in the air. He shot for the green heart, the wind whipping at his hair, and his sword clanked harshly against the black armor. The claws reached for him; he ducked and swooped and slashed at the Black Dragon. On the floating fortress, blood burst from thin cuts on Desiderius's hands and arms. Desiderius raised his hands, the claws of Escaflowne lifted and snapped at the angel in the sky. A flurry of feathers burst from the fight, but Van soared upwards. Desiderius's cold grey eyes hardened, he raised his arms, and willed Escaflwone to move. The Black Dragon shot through the air, pursuing Van with incredible speed. The sword crashed against armor—Desiderius winced as a large wound appeared on his left shoulder.

Van faltered in the air. His wings, weak from lack of exercise, weak from years of hiding and secrecy, buckled. Van's heart pounded frantically, and the earth whirled beneath his feet. His wings caught the wind, and he floated upward, but he wavered precariously like dead leaf in a breeze, aloft only by the strength of the air. The moment the wind stopped, he would crash to earth again. He worked his shoulder blades, desperate to regain control, but his muscles screamed in protest, and the wings faltered. Van yelled out as the claws clamped around his body.

Kanta stumbled to her knees, Merle's face pressed into her shoulder. The cat-girl mumbled, "Lord Van! Lord Van's dying! No! Lord Van's going to die!!"

A crazed smile twisted Desiderius's face, and Kanta's stomach dropped, leaving an empty, sickening feeling behind. The claws constricted, and she saw the glorious white wings twist in an unnatural position. Merle whimpered, and Kanta realized that Van truly was going to die. Desperately, she grabbed Hiko's sword. She pushed herself to her feet, launched herself forward, and swung the sword with all her strength, yelling in anger. Desiderius spun around to face her, and their swords smacked together. Desiderius's grey eyes widened, and he grinned wider.

"Yes, that's it, Kanta. I can see the anger in your eyes! But you can't kill me, not yet. Your fury isn't strong enough yet. No, first you have to watch your precious Lord Van die!!"

His eyes flicked to the horizon. Kanta dropped the sword and rushed to the balcony. Escaflowne soared upward and released Van. He plummeted to the ground.

* * *

Hitomi screamed and ran blindly forward. Van fell, a bright point of light tumbling from the sky. She could feel the seconds passing, could feel the pendant swinging, as she pounded swiftly across the Fanelia plain. _One second, two seconds..._ Darkness swarmed around her, and the landscape vanished. Only the darkness and the falling star and the passing seconds remained.

_Three seconds, four seconds._

Her heart beat wildly and painfully in her chest. She knew she would never reach him in time. His body would hit the heard earth with a resounding crack, the brilliant white wings folding unnaturally underneath him. Hitomi yelled again and forced herself to run faster. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

_Five seconds, six seconds..._

_Now focus everything..._

"_VAN!!_"

The bright light blinded her. The air whipped his black hair and pulled feathers from his wings. She skidded to a sudden stop and lifted up her arms.

_Seven seconds..._

He collided into her so hard she was knocked off her feet. His head dug into her ribcage, and her head bounced hard against the ground. Ignoring the pain, Hitomi untangled their mass of limbs and wings and hauled Van onto his back. His black hair fell limply into his face. Scars and trails of blood covered his cheeks, arms, and chest. Feathers on his wings gleamed red. He breathed shakily, then coughed up blood.

Hitomi placed her forehead against his, tears dampening her cheeks. The darkness pulsed around them, a breathing, living void. And it whispered to her...

_Lord Van's dying!_

_He's losing blood!_

_If he can survive the pain..._

Hitomi raised her hands to her ears to block out the voices. Within the darkness, flashes of color caught her eye, and when she turned, she saw the Ace of Dragons fading away, and the Death Card took its place. Hitomi shuddered and gathered Van to her protectively. Van thrashed violently against her, and she jerked back, then flung herself on top of him, desperate to hold him down. He screamed in her ear, and Hitomi cringed, chocking on more tears.

"_Brother!!_" he cried.

Hitomi felt panic rising, suffocating her. "Somebody help us!!" she screamed.

_Lord Van's dying..._

"NO!!"

Van's screams ceased as suddenly as they began. His maroon eyes flicked open, and Hitomi started to beam in relief. He pushed against her, and she moved off him. She stared in astonishment as he slowly pulled himself to his feet and started to walk away from her. Hitomi scrambled after him. His blood dripped to the ground.

"Van! Van, you shouldn't move!"

He paused. The darkness dissipated before him, and a grassy hill spread beneath his feet. Hitomi stopped and stared. At the top of the hill, a great tree grew, but Hitomi recoiled. She had seen that tree before. She had seen Van trembling at the base of that tree before... A tall man suddenly appeared in front of Van, and Hitomi gasped.

Folken stood calmly, his arms opened wide, one hand held out to Van. His white wings spread out around him. Brother faced brother on the edge of the darkness.

"You called me, Van," Folken greeted softly.

Van bowed his head and eased his eyes shut. He took the next few steps forward and lifted his foot to cross from the darkness to the light and the grassy hill.

Hitomi reached out to him as fear shot through her body. Her feet refused to move, anchored to the ground, separating her from reaching Van. Panic seized her as Van stepped away from her.

"Van! Van, don't go!! We need you! _I_ need you!! _Van!!_"

Skin touched skin as Van placed his hand in Folken's grip.

"_VAN! Stay with me...!"_

And then time stopped.

* * *

Thanks for reading!! Please review?? It'd make my day!!


	18. Conversations Between Brothers

Um...:nervous smile: I'm _**SO **_sorry that it took me so long to update again! This chapter gave me more trouble than I expected, but I think it turned out well in the end. Thank you for reading and for waiting on me! I hope you enjoy this segment!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Escaflowne...I wish I did, along with a whole bunch of other stories, but I don't! I'm not that talented! And I don't own the song either. Credit for that goes to the wonderful Vertical Horizon!

Thank you for reading, and I appreciate reviews!

* * *

_We didn't know way back then_

_What brothers we really were_

_Letting the time pass quickly_

_And watching it go  
_

_We never thought about tomorrow_

_Or what she might bring_

_We never stopped to realize_

_That we might not always sing  
_

_Seems like only yesterday_

_God, where'd the time go?_

_Where we once laughed lie only _

_tears in the snow_

— "Footprints in the Snow" by Vertical Horizon

* * *

_I've been here before._

Van could not remember when he lost his boots or when his wounds were healed, but the springy grass bounced beneath his bare feet, and he moved without pain. All he really knew was that he had been here once before, but the memory was fuzzy, and he pushed it away, intent on following Folken. Dew from the blades trailed across his ankles and dampened the hem of his khaki pants. Van followed his brother across a marble bridge to the great branching tree. He started to smile; it felt like he was coming home.

At the end of the bridge, Van stopped short. Folken continued forward, placed his hand on the trunk of the tree, and smiled amiably. Three figures stood around the trunk with Folken, all smiling warmly at Van, but he could only stare in disbelief. He wavered on his feet, afraid to blink. He swallowed with difficulty, dreading the moment when he woke from this peaceful dream.

But he blinked, and they did not vanish. His family—Goau, Varie, Balgus, and Folken—opened their arms to him. Disbelief faded into a serene comfort, and Van ran forward, laughing in happiness. He embraced his mother and father and gripped Balgus's forearms in greeting. Slowly, he turned to face Folken, and his brother looked young again, not the dark Zaiboch scientist that Van had hated eight years ago. Folken dropped his hands on Van's shoulders, and the brothers stared at each other until Folken pulled him forward, and Van squeezed him in a tight grip, pouring his apology and his love into the strength of his arms.

Van pulled away and looked around at their wonderful faces. Varie placed her hand on his cheek.

"Welcome home, son," she said, her red eyes lighting up.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Home," he repeated slowly, savoring the feel of the word on his tongue. He surveyed the strong tree at the center of the flat plateau and turned slowly in a circle. Beyond the edges of the plateau, far below, he could see the pearly white buildings of a city, and as Van turned, he discovered that the bridge he had just crossed with Folken had vanished. Instead, the plateau stretched in an uninterrupted circle, perfectly flat and covered with thick, waving grasses. But the disappearance of the bridge did not bother him. In fact, it increased the sense of peace that he felt. Here, surrounded by the people he loved most, he was isolated from the world's pain. Here, under the protecting branches of the great tree, his tranquility could not be interrupted by outside obligations of duty and war.

"Yes, I'm home."

* * *

The moment Van touched Folken's hand, the darkness swallowed them both. The moment they disappeared, Hitomi felt the anchor release around her legs, and she bolted forward, running as fast as she could. First she sprinted in the direction Van had gone, but the blackness quickly consumed direction as well, and she darted backwards and forwards, side to side.

"Van! Van! Van!" she yelled at intervals. The breath tore at her chest, and her voice grew weaker and weaker. Her mind latched onto his image and haunted her. If she stood still long enough, she thought she could see a flash of red in the darkness, and she darted toward it, but she never got any closer. After a time, it vanished, and she stood dejected and defeated.

She was always running after him, Hitomi realized. She was always running _toward_ him. Whenever she ran on the Mystic Moon, she imagined she ran to him. Even when there was no hope of catching up to him, she was still running to him. Van's form vanished again, and Hitomi stumbled to a halt and let the sobs wrack through her.

"You're not running toward him. You're running away from yourself."

Hitomi jumped and spun around. Varie stood in all her beauty, her white wings spread wide. Her red eyes contemplated Hitomi gently as if she were a small child. "You cannot keep running away from yourself and your troubles, Hitomi. You must turn around and face your destiny."

Hitomi shivered and pulled her arms tight around herself. "My destiny?" she echoed.

Varie nodded with a calm smile. "You're the one causing Van and the others to suffer. He is beyond your reach now. You have a life to live on the Mystic Moon. You are not of Gaea. You must let him go."

Hitomi hung her head, and her honey hair fell across her eyes. Her thoughts swirled as she remembered her old life. She pictured her small apartment with its comfortable furnishings. In the early morning, the blue light of dawn cast everything in a silvery sheen. She wondered if people missed her, if they were searching for her...Her boss must be angry that she had not filed the paperwork like she promised. And Yukari! She had forgotten that Amano and Yukari were visiting from England. Did they remember when she disappeared before? Would they realize that this was the same circumstance? They must be looking for Hiko, at least. She pictured Hiko, his chocolate brown eyes crinkling up with a smile, and with a pang, she knew she had to find a way to return him to Earth. He did not have attachments to Gaea like she did. He belonged with his friends and family. And she...maybe she belonged there too...

A tear slid down her cheek as she met Varie's gaze. Even if she stayed on Gaea, Van would not be there. The fields and water would seem duller to her without him...

"I must let him go..." she murmured.

Varie nodded in agreement. "You cannot run away from yourself any longer."

* * *

"Where are we?"

Folken gestured to the flat plateau and the pearly city beyond. "It's our homeland, Van. This is the Mystic Valley, the remnants of Atlantis."

Van raised his face to the sky and smiled. "Ancient dwelling place of the Draconians," he murmured.

Folken nodded. The two walked slowly around the field, carefully dispelling the mistrust and hatred that had existed between them. Gradually, small conversations between the brothers began, and Van felt like he finally had Folken back, the brother who read storybooks to him and played in the gardens with him. When he looked up into his strong face, the only trace of the Zaiboch scientist was a slight shadow in his determined eyes, but other than that small detail, Folken was the brother Van remembered from his childhood.

"Van," Folken began. "Mother wouldn't want me to mention this—she's so happy you're here—but I feel like I need to ask you." He glanced at his little brother and smiled. Van waited expectantly as the wind ruffled his dark hair.

Folken's gaze drifted to the horizon. "You caught us by surprise, Van. We didn't expect you for another fifteen years, at least. But I suppose I should have known. You are a little reckless sometimes." He smirked. "But now that you're here, we're only missing one more member of our family. Once she comes, then we'll be complete."

Cautiously edging toward the brink of the plateau, Van marveled at the sheer cliff that dropped to the white buildings and gardens below. He teetered on the edge, stumbled back, flapped his wings for balance, and glided backwards toward the safety of the grassy plain. "Who's that?" he asked, in response to Folken's comment. "Who are we missing?"

"Kanta."

Van flicked his head to face Folken in surprise. His brother met his gaze placidly. "That's what I wanted to ask you," he continued. "How is she?"

Van eased down onto the cool, soft grass, pulled one leg up, and hugged it to his chest, letting the other leg stretch out. He stared blankly at the waving grass as he searched through his mind. His head felt foggy, and his eyes narrowed in concentration and slight frustration. He remembered Kanta, but his memories were dim and faded, memories from years ago. He remembered her singing to him and playing with him and Merle in the gardens. He remembered watching her walk with Folken in the halls of the Fanelia palace. He remembered her putting him to sleep, the light glancing off the blue ring on her finger. And he remembered the white roses she arranged around Folken's memorial so that the whole glade gleamed with the purest white.

"She's...courageous," he finally answered, his eyebrows still narrowed in concentration.

Folken nodded pensively. "Sometimes I wish we'd never met, for her sake," he breathed. "That way she could live her life free of memories of what might have been. But once she's here, we _can_ have the life we should have had when we were alive. I'll be able to tell her and show her how much I truly love her." Folken glanced at Van. "She is living her life, isn't she? She isn't waiting for me anymore?"

Van hugged his leg tighter to his chest. "I don't think so..."

Folken knelt down in front of him. "Why do you sound so unsure?"

"I—I can't remember," he confessed. He buried his face in his arms and his knee. "My mind is blurry. My memories of Kanta are from my childhood; I can't remember anything more recent. I'm sorry, brother."

Folken clapped his hand on Van's shoulder. "It's all right. Your head will clear with time. And for now, memories don't matter. What matters is that you've come home."

_Come home safely..._

Van froze. "Come...home...?" he echoed. His mind swirled. The last time he saw Kanta, her concerned turquoise eyes burned into him as a leviship lifted off, to take him to Asturia. And she told him to come home safely. She told him to come home to Fanelia. Van blinked, inhaled sharply. A floating fortress dominated the skyline of his homeland, and he again felt the fury at the thought of Desiderius holding her prisoner.

"Van?"

"I remember!" he exclaimed. Urgently, he leapt to his feet, and Folken tilted his head up in confusion. "Zaiboch invaded Fanelia, and I had left Kanta in charge. I rushed back, but not soon enough," he rushed. His fists clenched in anger. "Desiderius holds her hostage; he thinks she's beautiful...If I could get my hands on him—!" Van shook his head and sucked in a deep breath. He returned Folken's steady gaze. "I have to go back. I promised her I would come home safely."

Folken rose slowly, and his serious face paled with worry. "Van. You can't go back."

"Why not?"

Folken sighed and put his hand on Van's shoulder again. "Because you're dead."

Van stiffened. Against his will, he remembered the battle and the pain, and he realized with a dawning amazement that he had indeed died.

"Your brother is right, my son." They turned, and Varie strode toward them, flanked by Goau and Balgus. "You've passed the border between the worlds of the living and the dead. The only way you can go back now is through visions and dreams." She wrapped her pale arms around her son's shoulders and hugged him to her. He remained stiff and still. "It's all right, Van," she murmured. "You're safe now. You're home."

Pulling away, Van scanned all of the faces. Only Folken appeared discomforted. The tranquility he had felt earlier vanished as his memory returned with full force. He did not want to leave affairs as he had. He did not want to leave Kanta in the hands of Desiderius. "But—" he started. "There's still things I have to do, promises I have to keep. I promised Kanta I'd come home safely."

Varie frowned, then smiled pleasantly. "You _are_ home safely."

Van turned beseechingly to his father, the father he hardly remembered, but a feeling of love and kindness surfaced at the sight of him. Goau had also been a king of Fanelia. He would understand. "I promised to return safely to Fanelia. I'm Fanelia's king. I have to be there to guide reconstruction and govern the country. I must return to my people!"

Goau glanced away. "Sometimes promises must be broken, despite all our efforts to fulfill them, Van. I promised Varie I would personally train you in the sword. But who did you learn from?"

"Balgus," Van answered reluctantly.

"There was nothing I could do to change it," Goau finished. "And that turned out well. This could turn out for the best too."

Van clenched his fists again and set his teeth. "No, Father. I died defending Fanelia from invasion. I died in the battle that would determine Gaea's future. Desiderius will take Kanta as his empress and spread the poison of Dornkirk's teachings over Gaea. And Gaea will end up just like Atlantis. Because I failed." He hung his head to the side, and his black hair fell over his eyes. His whole body shook with rage and shame.

_Come home safely..._

A smooth hand lifted his chin, but Van still kept his eyes downcast. Varie's other hand pressed against his cheek, and Van looked into his mother's face—so familiar and so strange at the same time. She smiled and released him from her cool grasp.

"Van, you have to understand that some things are predestined, and no matter how hard we try to change them, fate will always win out. It was your fate to die in that battle. And now you're safe here with your family."

His face twisted in confusion. "But, Mother, you told me that Gaea must not be allowed to meet the same fate as Atlantis. You told me that my will determined the fate of Gaea. Have I not failed?"

Varie's face suddenly darkened, and her expression drooped. Goau came and put his arm comfortingly around his wife, careful to not disturb her beautiful white wings. She leaned into him and contemplated her second son sadly.

"I'm afraid I too was misguided. It is true that the mistakes of Atlantis should not be repeated, but sadly, war is the fate of man. I thought if a Draconian tried to dispel the curse that we brought to Gaea, then maybe... But you cannot change fate. There are some things that cannot be prevented."

"And what about the green energist?" Van questioned, and the soft words shook with tension. "This would not have happened if you hadn't given me the green energist. Why did you give it to me, Mother?"

"Another misguided step, I'm afraid, my son," Varie apologized quietly. "I knew the energist would cause Gaea distress, possibly even bring about your death. I thought if you destroyed it before it could pose a threat, Gaea's future would be safer. I thought I could change fate, but I was wrong. Gaea will follow the same path as Atlantis, and there is nothing we can do to change it."

A battle raged within Van's heart. He took a deep, calming breath and turned to his brother. The determination in Folken's eyes had dimmed in the face of such inevitability. Slowly, he nodded, and Van embraced the calm acceptance within himself and forced the anger and sorrow and foolish resistance away. He had tried his hardest to return safely to Fanelia. But now he had to put his faith in the strength of others. He would believe in the courage and strength of the ones he had left behind. With this resolution, he marveled at the fact that although he was dead, he could still feel the beat of his heart beneath his chest.

"So this is heaven..."

* * *

Hitomi lay back and floated within the swirling darkness. Listlessly, she tucked her arm under her neck. A part of her yearned to go home like Varie suggested, to return to the comfort and simplicity of her apartment. But another part still desired to remain on Gaea, even if the reason to stay had disappeared...

Hitomi squeezed her eyes shut. She was dimly aware that Varie sat off to the side. Despite her attempts to black out the fact, Hitomi knew that once she decided to live life again, on Earth or on Gaea, she would be a woman who had lost her love. She thought of Kanta's quiet grace and determination. She remembered the way the woman held herself with strength even when she grieved the loss of Folken. Hitomi's mouth formed a hard line as she tried to compose herself with such dignity.

Sighing, she pushed herself up into a sitting position and glanced at Varie with lost eyes. The queen waited patiently for her to speak.

"If I've always been running away from myself, then who am I?"

Varie placed a cool, pale hand on Hitomi's shoulder. "You are a child of the Mystic Moon. To discover yourself and fulfill your destiny, you must return to your homeland. You've been chasing after my son for far too long, and that has caused trouble for both yourself and those around you."

"But I want to see him again..." she breathed. An idea flashed through her thoughts, and Hitomi's eyes gleamed brightly. She could still douse. She could still harness the power of the stars to fulfill her wishes. Van carried the pendant, but she did not need it anymore. Maybe if her wishes were strong enough, if she concentrated hard enough... Slowly, she lifted her head, and the image of the pendant formed in the darkness.

"Don't!"

Hitomi blinked out of the reverie, and Varie frowned at her. "You must not use the power of your wishes, Hitomi. Your heart is troubled. It will cause great distress."

Hitomi felt tears slip down her cheeks, making them cold and clammy. She floundered against the hopelessness. "But there's nothing left to lose!" she exclaimed. "There are no more unhappy futures to pull into place. The unhappiest one has already happened! Van's already dead!" Her voice cracked.

Varie smiled softly at her. "And so you cannot change that fate. It was his destiny to die in the fight. It is the destiny of the pilot of Escaflowne to die at the hand of his guymelef. There are no guarantees with an Ispano guymelef. He is with his family now. You must let him go."

Hitomi wiped the tears away roughly. "I'm going to miss him so much. I love him so much! How am I going to get through the day without thinking of him constantly? I don't know how Kanta does it. I don't think I'm that strong..." She sucked in a shuddering breath. "Varie, how did you cope with your husband's death?

The Draconian woman started. Hitomi knew this was certainly an uncomfortable subject for Varie to discuss, but Hitomi was her compatriot in pain now, and she needed the help. After a moment, the queen's face smoothed.

"You shall find the strength you need. It shall be just like the last time you left Gaea. That parting should have been just as permanent."

"But we could see each other. We had visions and dreams of each other. We knew we weren't entirely alone," Hitomi said despondently.

* * *

The sun set slowly. The red of the sky drenched the city in a scarlet hue, almost as if it were burning. Van shook his head to rid himself of the mental image and focused on following Folken through the curving cobbled streets of the city. They rounded a corner, and a tall, white columned building stood before them. Three other Draconians sat on the steps and chatted pleasantly, their white wings tinged with the color of the sun. They nodded to the brothers in greeting. Folken ushered Van into the library.

The eaves echoed with the rustle of wings, but as Van passed the shelves of books and the cozy sitting areas, he saw only small groups of Draconians. Folken led him down another aisle into a circular sitting area surrounded by books and lamps. A circular window presented a view of the plateau crowned by the branching tree.

"I come here to think sometimes. It's calming," Folken explained, settling himself in a chair and folding his wings carefully behind him. Van ran his hand over the spines of the books. He breathed in the scent of must and age and knowledge. Gingerly, he slid several of the books from their places and flipped through them, skimming passages that caught his attention. Folken picked up a book and read. The two brothers enjoyed each other's presence in silence.

Van set a book back on the shelf and reached for one with an old, worn cover. When he held it, he started in surprise because he recognized the curling gold letters on the front.

"Folken," he said. "Look at this." Turning, he placed the book in Folken's outstretched hand. "Do you remember it?"

A nostalgic smile flitted across Folken's face as he flipped through the pages. "It's the book of Fanelian stories. I used to read this to you when you were very small."

"And I made you read it over and over again," Van replied with a chuckle.

"There you two are."

The brothers looked up as their father approached them. The lamplight shone on the deep purple cloth of his robes. He greeted them with a soft, calm smile.

"Van, please sit down. I'd like to speak with you for a moment." Goau eased into a chair and leaned forward slightly so he could look directly into his son's face.

"Van, I want to apologize...for not being there for you."

"You would have stayed if you could." Van lifted his chin in a royal manner, resolutely not meeting his father's gaze. His words were true; he knew his father would have been there for him if he had the choice. But he feared what the sincere apology and regret in Goau's eyes would do to his heart. Even at the thought, Van's throat started to close, and he swallowed in definace, swallowing the emotion away, just as he had always done.

"I want to make it up to you," Goau declared. "Any way you wish." At this, Van did look up, and Goau smiled warmly at his son. "Think it over, Van. You don't have to answer now." He leaned back in the chair and faced Folken.

"What book is that? May I see it?" Folken handed it to him, and as Goau turned the old pages and ran his hands over the worn cover, his face cleared, and a peaceful light entered his dark eyes. "Ah. The old stories." Flipping a page, his mouth turned up in a smile. "This was always my favorite." He cleared his throat and began to read.

Van settled back into the chair and hugged one knee to his chest. Comfortable, he let his eyes fall shut and listened to the sound of his father's voice reading the ancient legends of Fanelia. Neither his father nor his mother had ever read him bedtime stories when they were alive, and now Van reveled in the serenity of the experience. He smiled wanly as he remembered Folken reading him the same story, Merle curled into his side. _Merle_...precious, obnoxious, wonderful Merle. His forehead creased, but he had learned dousing too well, and against his judgement, he could picture her standing in front of him. At first, she appeared as the tiny bundle of fur Balgus had brought home shivering in his arms. Then when they were both children, drawing on parchment and running through the gardens.

_Don't do it, Lord Van! It's too dangerwous!_

A twisted smirk crossed his face at that memory. Next he saw her in her tan dress with her hands on her hips. She grinned at him happily, then threw her arms out to protect him, defending him from Naria and Eriya. As she grew older, her face grew leaner, and she turned into a beautiful cat-woman. Her light blue dress swirled around her legs, and Van smiled with pride at his little sister. He felt her latch onto his arm with childish admiration, but his blood burned when tears collected in her large eyes and he heard her crying, "_Lord Van, Lord Van's dying!!_"

Blinking sharply, Van turned his head to the circular window and focused his gaze on the great branching tree. A chill shot down his spine, and Van finally remembered why this place seemed so familiar. He _had_ been here before. He had sat under the great tree, trembling as the ghosts of the Dragonslayers tormented his mind. And Merle's voice had saved him. Van frowned, and the pendant around his neck glowed brightly. _Hitomi_ had saved him too. She had come and put her arms around him and held him close. Just like with Merle, Van saw Hitomi grow up before his eyes, and his heart pounded in his chest at the beautiful woman before him. He could feel her in his arms, and he could feel her lips pressed against his...

He swallowed thickly, shook his head again, and looked up at his father. Goau had stopped reading and watched his son with concern.

"...I miss Merle," he finally murmured. Goau smiled sympathetically and closed the book.

"We all miss people we leave behind. But Merle and Kanta will join us here. They are so much a part of the family that they will be welcomed."

"What about...what about Hitomi? Will she come here?"

Goau's eyes narrowed in confusion for a moment. "The Seer from the Mystic Moon?"

"Yes."

Goau dropped his gaze and contemplated the worn cover of the book for a moment. "I'm not sure. Your mother would rather she not."

"But I love her!"

All of them jumped at Van's loud exclamation. Van had never spoken his feelings out loud; in fact, it had taken him years to fully understand the depth of his feelings for Hitomi. Merle and Allen had understood them better than he had. In the shocked silence that followed, Van bowed his head.

"I have a question to ask you both." Goau and Folken waited as Van collected his frantic thoughts. He looked up with a fierce expression on his face.

"Do your hearts still beat?" he demanded.

Goau gave him a confused and surprised look. Presently, he shook his head. "No, son. It does not."

"Does yours?" Folken asked.

Van nodded carefully. "And that makes me think that I am not truly dead. Not yet. ...I want to try to go back. There are still things I must do."

"Promises?"

"Yes and no. Love of Fanelia. And Merle. I need Merle, and I thinks she still needs me. I cannot bear to think of her at my funeral. And then...Hitomi..." he murmured, glancing down at the glowing pendant in his hand. He gripped it tightly, his heart twisting in his chest. "I have to go back and tell her...everything..."

Goau stood, placed a hand on his son's shoulder, and smiled. "You sound like me when I spoke of your mother. I was willing to brave even the anger of my council and the refusal of my country to marry the woman I love." Goau's brown eyes creased upward. "Good luck, my son."

Folken stood. "Come, Van. If you want to return to the world of the living, you must do it while your heart is still beating." As Van stood to follow, Folken's face creased with worry. "I don't know if this can be done, brother."

Van's eyes gained Folken's characteristic determination. "I still have to try."

* * *

Varie contemplated the young woman sitting before her. Her green eyes were red-rimmed with crying, and her eyebrows bowed sadly. She could sense the power hanging around the girl like a golden aura, and it was that power that forced her to separate this girl from her son.

"Hitomi," she murmured gently. "You are consumed by deep anxiety. Come with me and return to the Mystic Moon. You will find yourself there. You will find peace there."

Hitomi looked up at her miserably. Varie continued, "Your heart is full of uncertainty. Your heart does not belong to my son. It never has, at least not completely. There has always been another eclipsing your love for him. Now that Van is gone, it will be better for you both. You can be with the man you are meant to be with."

"Do you mean Hiko?" Hitomi breathed. Varie nodded kindly, but she started in surprise as Hitomi's face creased with anger.

"That's not true," she declared evenly. "I love Hiko, yes, but he has never eclipsed Van. When Hiko told me he loved me, I turned him down because I knew I loved Van! My heart is not troubled! I know my heart! I know myself!"

* * *

The brothers rushed out of the library. Folken set his stern gaze on the great tree towering above the city. If Van could truly return to the world of the living, then the plateau would be the place to do it. He spread his wings wide and looked at his little brother.

"Do you think you can fly?"

The setting sun cast a fiery glow over Van's face. He nodded firmly and stretched his wings as well.

"Lord Van! Lord Folken!"

They turned in surprise. Shielding his eyes against the sun, Van watched his sword master descend the steps of a training hall. "You must come and train."

"Balgus, we're in a hurry," Folken interjected. "We are returning to the plateau."

Balgus turned his scarred face to the older brother. "We have all eternity at our feet, Lord Folken. Come and stretch those muscles now!" He clapped his hand on Van's shoulder and stretched his mouth into a smile. His hand clenched into Van's skin and pulled him forward, guiding him up the steps before Van could stammer out a response.

Before he knew it, Balgus thrust a sword into his hands and took his stance. Van barely had time to draw the blade and angle himself into position before Balgus came barreling at him. When he felt the familiar jolt of strength pressing down on him, Van smirked.

"You have improved, Lord Van," Balgus praised. "It has been a long time since you and I crossed swords."

Van's smile grew bigger. He rushed at the tall man, attacking aggressively and without reservation. His muscles burned with the strain, and he relished the jarring blocks and swishing attacks. He pulled his wings back under his skin, and as the blood flew through his veins, he believed he stood in Fanelia's training hall, practicing exercises with Balgus just like he used to do.

Folken leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. A frown flickered over his face as he watched the swordsmen. Van slipped so easily into the warrior, with only the slightest provocation from Balgus. As he contemplated his brother's face, he saw only a shadow of the gentle man underneath. Instead, Van's features hardened into cold unfeeling stone, and Folken worried at the transformation. The swords clashed, and Folken cringed at the harsh sound.

"Van," Folken called. They paused for a moment, and Van looked at him. "Hitomi," he prompted.

Van blinked, and Folken smiled when the maroon eyes flooded with a soft gentleness. He wiped his forehead and walked toward him.

"What is your new idea, Lord Folken?" Balgus questioned.

"Van wants to return to the world of the living, and I believe it can be accomplished."

Balgus's face twisted in shock, then smoothed out again. He joined the brothers at the doorway and looked down at the them.

"Lord Van," he said, "if you try to return to the world of living, then you must be prepared to fight. You must embrace your destiny."

"I don't want that destiny anymore," Van replied, but anger rippled beneath his voice, and his eyes flashed.

"You cannot escape it."

To Van, his statement sounded like a death sentence. The old repulsion rose in his chest and threatened to suffocate him. He felt Folken place a hand on his shoulder.

"Fighting solves nothing," Folken declared. "It only prolongs hatred and suffering." He grabbed the sword from Van and flung it to the ground with a loud clang. "There are some things that are worth fighting for," he amended, "but those battles have a proper time and place." He paused, and his stance relaxed. Balgus stared down at him with a masked expression.

"Van has a warrior's spirit, but he has a gentleness inside him that is more powerful than all his raw will. Van wants to return to Gaea to build peace, not prolong war. Perhaps Van's destiny is not to fight but to initiate peace."

Looking up, Van gave Folken a tense smile. Balgus towered above them. "You know my views, Lord Folken, and the views of your mother," he rumbled, "We believe that war is the fate of Gaea, a fate it cannot escape."

"If anyone can bring peace, Van can," Folken affirmed. "We must put our trust in him, Balgus. Only then will he succeed."

Balgus sheathed the sword and bowed his head to the brothers. "You are so sure in your beliefs that I will not contradict you. I wish you the best of luck, Lord Van."

The brothers smiled, nodded, then descended the steps of the training hall. Balgus watched Van's wings explode from his back in a flurry of white feathers. With a slight jump, they launched themselves into the sky and soared to the great branching tree at the center of the plateau.

When they landed, Varie awaited them. She strode quickly to them and pulled Van into her arms.

"Will you try to leave us, my son? So soon after you've arrived?"

Van pushed back and gave her an apologetic smile. "Mother, I must go. My heart still beats. I still have a life to live."

Varie cupped the glowing pendant gently in her hand. She contemplated the pink gem before glancing back at her son's face. "It gives off its own light, just like an energist..." she mused.

"Or a heart in love," Folken added. Van and Varie turned to him, and as Van ducked his head in embarrassment, Folken smiled encouragingly.

"Have you indeed made your choice, Van?" Varie questioned. "Will the Seer from the Mystic Moon take you away from your family? From your true destiny?"

Van sighed. "Mother," he chided gently. "Destinies can be changed with choice. Folken and I have learned that where there is hatred and fear, there is also conflict." He glanced at his older brother with a thin smile. "Hatred and conflict will bring about Gaea's destruction, not a destiny of war. Destinies can be changed."

He paused and watched Varie's face fall, and Van gripped her hand tightly. He had been taught to obey his parents and to not cause them grief, and here he was, making his mother sad. He hugged her.

"Mother, when Father died...if he had been able to come back, wouldn't you have wanted him to return? That's how it is now for me and Hitomi," he breathed in her ear. "I love her, Mother." Pulling back, he smiled broadly. "I'll be back before you know it." Awkwardly, he kissed her cheek, and she cupped his face before letting him draw away.

"My son," she murmured. "Go with grace."

Folken waited for him next to the immense trunk. "Do you have a plan?" he asked. "I have made the argument in favor of peace, but will you make that choice, brother? There have been times when the destiny of war has made you cold, and there were times when the inevitability of fate made me forget the value of human life."

Van looked up into the branches, the leaves tinted golden in the light of the setting sun, and rested his hand on the rough bark. "I don't know how things will stand when I return..."

Folken clapped both hands on his brother's shoulders. "Remember that you are the king of the land protected by dragons. Find Fanelia's strength inside yourself and use it to defend your homeland. But do not lose your gentleness," he warned. He smiled warmly. "Think of her. She brings out the best in you, Van."

The pendant glowed. Van closed his eyes and focused on what he wanted to find. He pictured her slim figure and the honey hair that framed the creamy skin of her face. He could see her smiling lips and her sparkling green eyes. He imagined himself standing before her and wished to be in her presence with all his heart.

Folken stepped out of the pillar of white light and put his arm around his mother. They watched as Van floated up into the sky and disappeared into the glow of the setting sun.

* * *

The darkness shuddered, and Hitomi pushed herself to her feet.

_People's emotions can sometimes move the heavens._

"I will make my own destiny," she announced. "I don't believe in predetermined fate!"

_If your anxiety causes bad things to happen, then the opposite should be true. You must believe in him._

Varie rose regally to her feet. Her white wings blazed in the blackness, but Hitomi believed in herself.

"You place too heavy of a burden on people's shoulders, Varie. Van cannot carry the destiny of war for the entire world. That is too much for any one person to bear! And I shall not return to Earth. My home is here, on Gaea!"

"Hitomi!"

She turned, and her heart skipped a beat. A pair of white angel wings propelled him forward, and in a moment, Hitomi was enveloped in Van's strong arms. Once he held her, Van angled his wings to stop his flight. He set her down slowly and held her tightly. Hitomi curled against him, and she could feel his heart beating beneath his tan chest. The pendant around his neck glowed brilliantly.

Van turned his face to the sky and breathed deep. Droplets of water softly pattered his skin, and when he opened his eyes, he looked up into a grey cloudy sky. Grass swayed around his feet, and a green field stretched out before him. A brown and white city rose out of the plain, and a large tree crowned the top of the blue-roofed palace. Van smiled thankfully. _Fanelia_. He leaned down and kissed Hitomi's honey hair softly.

"Hitomi," he said gently. She raised her face to him, her green eyes sparkling with happiness. "We're safe. We're back."

She turned slowly, remaining within the circle of Van's arms. The floating fortress still hovered above the city, and the black Escaflowne swooped around it. She frowned and glanced at him over her shoulder, gripping his forearms tightly.

"Are you going to go fight again?" she asked despondently.

Van dropped his arms, stood beside her, and gathered her hand in his. His maroon eyes blazed. "No. At least, not in the same way." The rain drizzled around them as they began to walk across the field.

"I saw my family," he said. "I spoke to them all, especially to Folken. He reminded me that hatred causes destruction. Instead of fighting back, I intend to be the bearer of peace."

Hitomi paused, and Van waited for her. She reached for his other hand and squeezed gently. "Let me come with you. I want us to bring peace together. I want to stay with you."

Van nodded and laced his fingers through hers. Side by side, they walked toward the floating fortress.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading!! I really appreciate it! Please review and let me know what you think! Reviews make my day!! And I PROMISE that it won't take me so long to get the next chapter up!


	19. Cleansing Flame

Wow! Two chapters in less than two weeks! Yay for me! But school's started, so I can't say how fast the next chapter will be up...I'll do my best! Thanks for reading, and please review!!

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Escaflowne or the song. Just using anime to practice my writing!

* * *

_If everyone cared_

_And nobody cried_

_If everyone loved_

_And nobody lied_

_If everyone shared,_

_Swallowed their pride,_

_Then we'd see the day_

_When nobody died._

— "If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback

* * *

Dryden threw himself in front of Dilandau, shielding Millerna and Chid.

He grabbed Dilandau's right wrist and wrenched it as hard as he could. The blade slashed down his arm, but Dryden gritted his teeth against the pain. Dilandau yelled and dropped the knife, struggling free from Dryden's grip. The knife skittered to the edge of the burning carpet, and the flames licked the point of the blade so that it gleamed saffron. Dilandau scrambled toward it, eyes alight with excitement, but Dryden collided with him. Dilandau snarled, ripping, punching, and tearing at Dryden.

The merchant drew back his fist and punched him hard.

"Don't hurt her!" Allen chocked out. He tried to stand, but blackness swarmed his vision, and he collapsed back to his knees, leaning heavily on the sofa for support. He pressed his hand against his wound, but when he glanced down, his shirt and thigh were stained red.

"This isn't Celena anymore," Dryden growled. His knuckles connected with Dilandau's jaw, but the red eyes only burned brighter and brighter with hatred and a maniacal excitement.

Millerna stood stock still, holding Chid to her. Her eyes followed every motion of the struggle, and her breath caught in her throat whenever Dilandau hit Dryden. Each grapple brought them closer and closer to the patch of flames.

Dilandau shoved hard against Dryden. As he stumbled back, Dilandau rushed to the fire and grabbed the knife. Dryden recovered his balance and stared. The tatters of Dilandua's shirt blazed, ignited by the flames, and when Dilandau felt the heat, he forgot the knife entirely and began to laugh again.

"Celena!!" Allen yelled in anguish, but he still could not move. His little sister was going to burn before his very eyes, and there was nothing he could do...

Dilandau threw back his head and cackled, euphoric in the destructive flames.

Millerna grabbed the flower vase on the stand beside her, wrenched the tulips out of it, rushed past Dryden, and flung the water at Dilandau.

* * *

Desiderius grinned triumphantly as he eased himself onto the bed. He gripped the wound on his left arm, but his face was flushed with pride. Kanta squeezed the balcony between her fingers, still staring blankly at the spot in the sky where Escaflowne had dropped Van. Her arms shook. She blinked in disbelief, and then her elbows bent as she fell forward slightly, leaning heavily on the balcony railing. Soft tears pushed out of the corners of her eyes.

"I've lost them," she breathed. "I've lost both of them..."

Desiderius chuckled to himself on the bed, and Merle's head whipped in his direction. Through her tears, her face contorted in rage, and she hissed at him furiously. When Desiderius finally turned to her, he merely raised an eyebrow.

"What are you going to do, cat-girl? Spit at me?"

White-hot anger surged through her. "I'm going to rip your eyes out!" she screamed. She lunged at him, digging her claws into his leg. Desiderius chocked in anger and pain, leapt to his feet, and flung her away. Hiko caught her. Outside, the Escaflowne convulsed in pain as crimson blood streaked Desiderius's elegant robes.

Merle sobbed quietly in his arms, and Hiko held her tighter. As he watched the shuddering girl weep, his jaw tightened and his eyes flashed. He moved her gently, and she stared at him with watery blue eyes. Hiko dug his heel into the floor, braced his hands against the wall, and pushed himself up. He faltered, regained himself, and leaned against the wall, glaring at Desiderius. The man's cold eyes watched him calmly.

"You can't take over Fanelia," Hiko declared harshly. "The people won't allow it. They'll rise up. Or if not, there will always be tension and unrest because you killed their king in cold blood!"

Desiderius smirked. "I did them a favor. I killed the cursed Draconian."

Leaning against Hiko's leg, Merle let out a strangled sob. Hiko opened his mouth to argue, but Kanta's voice drifted in from the balcony. Hiko turned his head toward her slim form in surprise. Her voice was too flat, too calm.

"Hiko is right. We cannot have unrest and dissension in our empire." Her blank eyes scanned the grey horizon. "I will marry you, Desiderius," she announced, "on one condition. You must withdraw from Fanelia and leave it at peace. You must relinquish your hold on the city and the people and return all prisoners to the palace."

When Desiderius's thin hands slid across her stomach, embracing her from behind, Kanta stood as still as a statue. He placed his lips next to her ear as she continued to stare at the grassy plain.

"As you wish, my lady," he breathed softly. "What do I care for Fanelia? I already have my prize."

Kanta suddenly blinked in shock. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she tensed. Desiderius glanced at her in concern, followed her gaze, and froze instantly himself.

Two small figures walked across the plain toward the floating fortress. The smaller had honey hair and was dressed in a white shirt and pink shorts. Her companion's raven hair waved in the breeze, and his pearly wings stretched out around them. Van tilted his head up and pointed to the balcony. Hitomi looked up, and they both stopped.

"So the cursed people can come back from the dead," Desiderius growled in Kanta's ear. As he stepped around Kanta to tightly grip the balcony railing, Merle dashed forward, her ears pricked up.

"_Lord Van!!_" she shrieked. A thin smile touched Van's face. "Thank goodness! Thank goodness, Lord Van!! You're all right!" she babbled. Desiderius impatiently pushed her back, and Kanta wrapped her arms protectively around the cat-girl's shoulders.

"It seems you are alive and well, Van Fanel," he called. "Next time I'll know to use the old-fashioned, infallible methods and tie you to the pyre myself."

"You forget that you have entered the land protected by dragons," Van answered. "You bring anger and hatred with you. We won't tolerate this disturbance any longer."

Desiderius snickered. "You've failed against the Black Dragon! What more can you do? Besides, the Schezar girl is going to kill her own brother, as I've commanded. Perhaps even the youngest princess of Asturia as well. What will you do without your Knight Caeli and pretty princess to fix things for you?!"

Van's face remained calm, although Kanta saw that Hitomi shifted uneasily at the reference to Celena. "You have a choice before you, Desiderius," Van announced. "You can turn away from this now, and I shall grant you clemency and speak on your behalf at the Gathering of Nations."

Desiderius smirked arrogantly. "I won't even dignify that with a response."

"Then I cannot guarantee your fate."

Van paused, then turned his head to the side. As Kanta watched, a rumble murmured from the forest, and everyone turned to stare at the trees. One by one, the land dragons slid onto the plain. Kanta marveled at the shear number of them. They arranged themselves in a semicircle behind Van and Hitomi. Desiderius's grey eyes flicked to the creatures, but then his body shifted assuredly as he spied the filmy membrane between their legs that formed their wings.

He chuckled to himself. "Your precious dragons cannot fly!" he yelled down from the safety of the floating fortress. Lazily, he waved his hand, and the Escaflowne swooped down.

Kanta gasped. The dragons—Fanelia's most revered symbol—cowered and hissed under Escaflowne's attacks. As the guymelef ripped at their scales and they roared in pain, Kanta trembled at the sacrilege. The dragons were the creatures of the king, and Desiderius was here injuring them, his sharp eyes gleaming sadistically at the harsh roars.

Van stood calmly with Hitomi beside him. She squeezed his hand encouragingly. "We're the bearers of peace," she murmured, just loud enough for Kanta and Desiderius to hear the soft whisper on the breeze.

He smirked, still commanding Escaflowne. "The only peace shall be my new order!"

Van looked to the dragons, and a silent conversation passed between their eyes. Finally, Van nodded. "Yes. It must be done," he said gently.

As Hiko stumbled forward, the dragons responded to the attacks. Their throats ballooned out, and then the sky erupted in flame. Kanta jerked back and screamed. Desiderius convulsed spasmodically beside her, his eyes rolling back into his head. The Black Escaflowne shimmered in the inferno of dragon fire, then tumbled to the ground with a metallic crash.

Desiderius fell, crumpled on the floor.

When the flames died, Van approached the black guymelef. Cautiously, he reached his hand into the glowing green heart. Hitomi lingered nervously behind him.

"Only a true king of Fanelia can operate the Escaflowne," he breathed, staring into the swirling green energist in his palm. He blinked sharply, and his maroon eyes narrowed. "And even then there is no guarantee. If the pilot becomes too close, if his mind merges too completely with the guymelef..." His gaze flicked up to the balcony of the floating fortress. "...then he shall suffer as Escaflowne suffers, and eventually, it will bring about his death."

He turned to the waiting dragons. Ceremoniously, he drew the royal sword of Fanelia, tossed the energist into the air, and drew the sword sharply down. The energist exploded dully.

On the floating fortress, Desiderius shuddered, then lay perfectly still. The ebony armor of Escaflowne shimmered in the muted light, then it faded to cloudy grey, until finally the guymelef gleamed white once again.

"The source of anger and hatred has been eliminated," Van announced. "Fanelia is safe."

The dragons examined Van and Hitomi with their yellow eyes. Hitomi unconsciously moved closer to Van. Just as they had arrived, the dragons slithered back into the forest, one by one. The last, the largest, rumbled deep in its throat. Hitomi could see her reflection in its bright eye. Then it blinked, bowed its head as if in respect, and slinked back into the trees, disappearing among the shadows.

Overhead, the clouds broke, and chinks of light filtered through. Hitomi raised her face to the warmth and intertwined her fingers with Van's.

* * *

Dilandau's laughs instantly stopped. The fire that clung to his clothes and burned across the floor sizzled under the moisture, then sputtered out. Dilandau blinked several times in confusion. His clothes stuck to him, his skin was saturated, and his hair sent rivulets cascading down his cheeks like tears.

His red eyes rolled back, and Millerna rushed forward as his legs buckled and he collapsed. She struggled under the weight, but Millerna saw that the person she held was a young woman with pale blonde hair. Celena's blue eyes fluttered open, and Millerna smiled at her. The girl sighed and fell asleep instantly, exhausted, wounded, and soaking wet.

Millerna gently patted her hair.

* * *

Thanks for reading!! Please review?? It would make my day!


	20. Choices

Hello all! No, this is not your imagination. I actually am back, and I actually am posting! I want to thank you for reading and reviewing and waiting on me even though I take a terribly long time to finish anything. It's my bad habit . . . But I'm back, I'm almost finished (finally!), and here's the next chapter!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Escaflowne or the song.

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* * *

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_Nightingale, tell me your tale._

_Was your journey far too long?_

_Does it seem_

_like I'm looking for an answer_

_to a question I can't ask?_

_I don't know which way the feather falls_

_or if I should blow it to the left._

— "Nightingale" by Norah Jones

* * *

"There, you should be all right now," Millerna announced, tying off the bandages around Chid's fingers. The boy moved his wrapped hand experimentally, then smiled up at her.

"Thank you, Aunt Millerna."

She patted his shoulder and turned to where Allen sat on the sofa. On of his hands ran through Celena's hair as she slept on his lap, and the other hand rested on the bandages around his stomach. He lifted his arm so that she could carefully prod his stomach, testing to make sure that the flesh of the wound would knit correctly. Allen only stared down at the face of his little sister. Millerna checked the girl's bandages as well, the poultice underneath the cloth cooling Celena's burns. The girl's left arm was covered in white from where she had stabbed herself.

Millerna squeezed Allen's arm and gave him a weak smile. "She'll be fine, Allen. Her wounds will heal."

"But what about her mind?" he breathed despondently. His bright blue eyes searched hers, and she could see the pain and desperation in them. "She was happy for a little," he continued, "but then that monster took control of her again. How can she go back to innocence when her very mind has been stolen from her so many times?"

Millerna swallowed against the lump in her throat. "She's your sister, Allen. She has your strength."

Slowly, she turned away from the siblings. She could not think of anything more to say. Uneasy, she approached the merchant sitting gloomily in the chair. His arm was also bandaged, and Millerna reached to check his wound. Dryden's brown hair fell scraggily about his face, and he pulled his arm away from her.

"I'm fine," he growled. "You don't need to take care of me."

Millerna crossed her arms over her chest. "Let me see the bandages, Dryden."

"No."

She huffed. "Why are you being so stubborn? I need to make sure you're all right!"

"That's just it. I'm a weak man that you have to watch over. I'm just a burden for you." He turned his head away, his glasses gleaming in the dim light.

Millerna nearly rolled her eyes. "You're not weak, Dryden. Now give me your arm!"

She snatched his wrist and pulled the limb toward her, and although he resisted, she kept a firm grasp around his arm. Her fingers moved confidently over the ties and wraps of the white cloth, applying slight pressure here and there, to test its strength and the condition of the wound beneath. After awhile, she pushed her golden hair behind her ear.

"In fact," she murmured so that only he could hear, "I think you're very brave. You saved me."

Dryden huffed. "It was the most pathetic rescue attempt ever."

Millerna pulled back and placed her hands on her hips. "Will you just accept the compliment? You're so convinced that you're not good enough for me – maybe I'm not good enough for you! Or maybe we're suited to each other, Dryden. Have you ever considered that?"

He raised his green eyes to her, outlined in yellow light from the lamps and candles. Her hair sparkled, and after a moment, her blue eyes softened, and she smiled at him.

"Maybe we can start where we left off?" he finally breathed, his heart thundering in his ears.

She reached down and squeezed his hand. "I think that can be arranged."

* * *

Hiko winced when Kanta tightened the bandage. She smiled apologetically up at him and sat back on her heels.

"You're all patched up."

Hiko rolled his pant leg back down, then bent his knee experimentally. Since the wound had started to heal, a dull throb only pulsed through his leg. Kanta stood before him, suddenly looking solemn. His grin faded.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

She hooked her auburn hair behind her ears. "I want to thank you," she said gently. "You had no reason to come after me. You could have stayed safe on the Crusade. But you came anyway, and you even defended me against Desiderius. I feel awful that you were injured at my expense." She lifted her turquoise eyes to his face. "Thank you."

Hiko's voice faltered, so he cleared his throat and tried to shrug nonchalantly. He gave her a crooked smile. "Don't feel bad, Lady Kanta. One smile from you is worth a thousand injuries."

Kanta sighed and shook her head, but a small smile pulled at her lips. "Take it easy for a few days, Master Munama. It should be safe for you to walk, but don't try anything too strenuous."

She glided away, still shaking her head. Hiko dropped his head, sighed, and smirked.

* * *

Hitomi curled into herself, wrapping her arms tightly around her knees. The white sheets of her bed tangled around her feet, and the bright light of the Mystic Moon bathed the balcony and slanted across her bed. Hitomi sighed and closed her eyes, blocking out the sight of her home.

If she believed in predetermined fate, she would say that everything in her life had led her to this moment, this decision. Once and for all, she had to make up her mind. Hitomi pressed her closed eyes against the curve of her knees. She had a good life at home. She had a loving family, supportive friends, and a productive job. But Hitomi knew that was all gone now. The moment she told Varie that she refused to accept Van's death—she had made her decision already.

She would stay.

Hitomi lifted her head and opened her eyes. If she cleared her mind, she could feel Van's arms around her and his lips pressed against her own. Shaking her head briefly, she exhaled loudly and rubbed her hands against her eyelids.

"Am I ready for it to be real?" she breathed. "I _want_ to stay . . . I want to stay with Van."

But she had never had a real boyfriend. She had dated casually but never anything serious. She always knew that was because she was still in love with Van, but she had tried to move on, and so she had buried those thoughts in a deep, dark corner. Now—

Hitomi felt a smile growing at the corners of her mouth. She sat straight and imagined herself in a white dress, walking down an aisle to meet Van at the end. He held out his hand to her and smiled gently, his maroon eyes lighting up. Hitomi searched herself for feelings of anxiety, inadequacy, fear, or homesickness. She found none. Instead, her grin grew larger, and as she envisioned herself marrying Van, a warm, giddy feeling filled her chest until she thought she might burst with happiness.

Quickly, Hitomi flicked her green eyes open and took a deep, calming breath. "Now I just need to know if Van feels the same way," she murmured to herself. A flicker of a shadow passed behind her irises, and she frowned. He had retreated into himself since the battle, and she chewed on her lip in worry. She quickly comforted herself with the memory of the gentleness in his kisses. Her smile returned. Her eyelids hung heavy over her eyes.

Hitomi held her hand in front of her mouth as she yawned. "I'll talk to him tomorrow," she resolved. Pulling the sheets up around her waist, she cuddled into the pillows, sighing deeply.

* * *

"I can't wait for the memorial celebration tomorrow. Kanta always makes everything so pretty." Merle paused, her eyebrows curved in thought. "Everything's back to normal now, isn't it, Lord Van?"

Van glanced down at her, curled into his side just like they were both children. He turned his gaze back up to the Mystic Moon, the shadow of a smile touching his lips. "Yes, it is, Merle."

She shifted her position on the roof tiles and pinned him with her knowing eyes. Her tail flicked back and forth. The tufts of fur glowed silver in the moonlight. "Do you remember when we were up on the roof like this in Asturia? When Hitomi went back for a little while?"

Van nodded almost imperceptibly. His mouth formed a hard line at the memory of Hitomi leaving Gaea.

"I asked you if you were thinking about Hitomi, and you said no. It's one of the few times you've ever lied to me, Lord Van."

"I apologize for that, Merle," he said sincerely. "You've always been with me. Of everyone I know, you deserve my honesty the most."

Merle's face softened. "I'm not upset about that. I just wanted to say . . . You've figured it out now, haven't you? You've finally figured out how you feel about Hitomi."

As he fixed his eyes back on the Mystic Moon, a real smile graced Van's face. "Yes," he murmured. "I finally have."

"Took you long enough!!"

Van jumped in surprise at Merle's outburst, then chuckled softly. Merle grinned, curled back into his side, and lifted her face to the sky so that her blue eyes twinkled with the reflection of the stars. "I'm happy for you, Lord Van," she said. "Hitomi loves you very much. There's no more wars to fight, no more burdens to bear. You two can finally be happy."

Van's heart swelled at her words. He reached down and smoothed her hair, scratching behind her ears until she purred softly. He could not remember a time without Merle by his side. She was his loyal little sister, and he knew he could always count on her. He squeezed her shoulder, and Merle knew that was his silent way of saying he loved her. She murmured in agreement. They stayed up on the roof most of the night, staring up at the deep Fanelian sky.

* * *

The twittering of birds drifted cheerily through the thin blue curtains and then faded as they swooped away. Sunlight slanted warmly over the windowsill, tiptoed across the carpet, and rose gracefully over the bed to glimmer on honey hair. Hitomi snuggled deeper into the blankets and pillows, sighing contentedly.

"HITOMI!!"

The door slammed open. Hitomi curled into a tighter ball as Merle pounced on her happily. The cat-girl bounced and shook Hitomi's rounded back.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!!"

"_Merle!_" Hitomi groaned. She turned over and pushed the hair out of her face, leaning up on her elbow. She blinked in confusion at Merle. She wore a soft pink dress, and her pink hair was crowned with a circlet of blooming white roses. Her sapphire eyes gleamed.

"Come _on_, Hitomi! The roses were delivered! You have to come help us decorate the memorial!" When Hitomi still looked dazed, Merle giggled and shook her shoulder. "It's a celebration! Like a festival!"

Hitomi stumbled out of bed, but as Merle rushed around helping her clean up and get ready, her excitement seeped into Hitomi's bones and made her giddy. They ran laughing to the glade and joined Kanta and the other women. Wheelbarrows, buckets, and crates full of white roses were scattered across the grass until the flowers spilled over their containers and lit up the ground. Kanta flitted through the bustle, directing the creation and placement of strands, bouquets, and glass bowls. The whole glade was perfumed with roses, and children ran happily around, dancing under the flurry of white petals. Hitomi sat with a crate of roses at her feet, balanced a glass bowl on her lap, and arranged the blossoms within the shallow base.

Kanta placed a wreath on Hitomi's head and then settled next to her. Merle soon scampered up. Laughter and bits of conversation floated on the gentle breeze. Hitomi smiled.

"Where are the men?" she asked lightly, looking around for Hiko and Van.

"They're finishing the repairs," Kanta replied. "There will be a procession in the afternoon, and then the glade will be open to anyone who wishes to come and honor the memory of a loved one." Her voice faltered slightly, but her smile remained, and the sadness only cast a tiny shadow on the bright turquoise of her eyes. Her hands expertly twined the roses together into another crown.

"Van will be dressed in the royal robes," Merle added, casting a mischievous glance at Hitomi. Hitomi felt her cheeks heating up and dropped her gaze to the glass bowl.

"Wh–Why should that matter?" she stammered. She desperately tried to ignore the memories of Van dressed in the royal blue robes of Fanelia, they way the deep color made his maroon eyes burn brighter than usual . . .

"I think what Merle is trying to ask," Kanta interrupted with a smile, "is whether or not you'll be staying with us, Hitomi."

Hitomi ducked her head as her cheeks flamed red. "That depends on Van, doesn't it?" she answered softly. "I mean, he hasn't asked me to stay . . . and then there's Hiko . . ."

"Hiko can make his own decisions!" Merle huffed. Her tail whipped about vehemently. "What do _you_ want to do?" She paused and leaned forward eagerly. "_Please_ say you'll stay, Hitomi! You have to stay this time! You just _have_ to!"

Hitomi let out a breath of laughter. "I _do_ want to stay," she said quietly. "But . . ." She took a deep breath and looked up into the dappled leaves of the trees. A shadow once again passed behind her eyes. "If I stay, then I want to stay with Van. But I don't know where we stand right now. We haven't really talked since the battle . . ."

"He's just nervous," Merle explained. "You know Van has trouble expressing his feelings." She rolled her eyes in exasperation, but then her expression softened. "Everyone knows he's crazy about you."

Hitomi stared down at the white blossoms floating in the glass bowl. "I sure hope so," she murmured. "Because I'm crazy about him."

* * *

Hiko stretched out his left leg and perched on the edge of the white fountain. The water splashed calmly behind him, and Hiko sighed as he watched the sky soften into a periwinkle blue. With the procession over, the city could release a long sigh of relaxation. Laughter drifted from other areas of the gardens, and the scent of roses hung heavy in the air. Hiko straightened when Van entered the courtyard. He had changed from the royal robes back into his characteristic red shirt and khaki pants. At first he did not seem to notice Hiko; his maroon eyes were cloudy and preoccupied.

"Van? Are you all right?"

The king started, then smiled gently. "I have a lot on my mind. How is your leg?"

Hiko grinned. "Kanta patched me up well. I'm going to be fine."

Van came and sat next to him on the edge of the fountain. The water splashed cheerfully behind him. "You've become a friend of mine, if I may claim that relationship with you, Hiko. You will be welcomed in Fanelia, if you wish to stay, but I also understand if you wish to go."

Hiko's chocolate eyes glowed. "Thank you, Van. But I do plan to return to Earth. I am needed back home." For a moment, he stared past Van and saw Aiko running across the cobblestones, her black hair shining in the twilight. He blinked and looked down at his hands. "Oh!" he started. "I was going to save this for later, but now's as good a time as any—"

Van leaned forward curiously as Hiko removed his watch from his wrist. He pushed it into Van's hands. "Take that," he said. "Hitomi will always want to run, so that will give her a way to record her times." Hiko smirked, bemused at Van's surprised expression. "Think of it as an early wedding present."

Van jumped, and Hiko laughed as his face flushed. "You _are_ going to ask her, aren't you? She wants nothing more than to stay with you."

Van's shoulders slumped forward, and his face became hard and stony. "She lives on the Mystic Moon," he stated clearly. "I would not take her life away from her."

Hiko blinked in confusion. "But you love her," he declared.

"Yes, I do love her." Van stared absently at the splashing water. "I love her so much that I would let her go again. It might kill me, but I'd rather she be happy."

Hiko's eyes narrowed. He gripped Van's shoulder and shook him lightly. "Then you'd better ask her to marry you because she'll be miserable without you," he admonished. "If you send her back to Earth, you'll both die. And I never believed that anyone could die of love, but if anyone could, it would be you two. You'd be the perfect example of star-crossed lovers, a real Romeo and Juliet."

Van gave him a blank look. The corners of Hiko's lips twitched upward, but he said, "Nevermind. The point is that I don't want to see either of you end up so miserable just because you think you're being noble."

Van's face twisted in anguish, his eyes squeezing shut. "When I picked up the green energist to destroy it, I heard its whispers, and I nearly listened to it. I nearly put it back inside Escaflowne," he confessed.

When he opened his eyes again, Hiko was smiling. "But you didn't," he said simply. "And that's all that matters." He grew very serious, his dark eyebrows knitting together. "You have to ask her, Van. You have to give her the _choice_."

Hiko pushed himself to his feet, tested his balance, then crossed his arms defiantly. "You can't give up. You've got to believe that the fireflies will always come back."

Van watched Hiko leave, and although he did not understand his words, he closed his hand around the watch and smiled. His eyes flashed determinedly, and deep in his chest, a tiny flame flickered, slowly banishing the guilt he felt about the energist. He rose, strode out of the courtyard, and grabbed the first page he could find.

"Send for Lady Kanta, Lady Merle, Master Hiko, Lady Hitomi and the Council of Advisors. Tell them to meet me at the memorial. I have an announcement to make."

* * *

The air in the clearing hung heavy with the scent of roses. Garlands and bouquets decorated the entire face of the memorial, and to the left, the slanting twilight illuminated the metal of Escaflowne. Van perched on the ledge of the memorial, one leg pulled firmly against his chest. As the Council of Advisors gathered gradually before him, Van smiled wanly. Only a short while ago, he had sat in this very spot, dreaming of seeing Hitomi again. His eyes drifted to her slender form. She still wore the wreath of roses in her hair, and the pearly petals softened her bright emerald eyes.

When everyone had gathered, Van rose. He did not speak loudly, but his voice carried a determination and a firmness that bespoke his authority.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice. Eight years ago, we waged a war to prevent the future of Gaea from mirroring that of Atlantis. Despite all our efforts, however, our peace has once again been threatened by those who seek to control fate. That threat has been eliminated, but I fear the peace is only temporary unless we act. It is too dangerous to have the implements of war in a world of peace. Which is why I propose that Fanelia relinquish its possession of the Escaflowne."The councilmen traded surprised looks. Finally, one of them, an older man with a brown, wrinkled face, spoke up.

"My lord, if I may speak on behalf of the council. This is an unexpected proposal. Would it not leave Fanelia vulnerable to further attack?"

Van turned to the man and replied in a gentle but firm voice, "Only the Escaflowne will be removed, Lord Landon. Defenses in terms of guymelefs, leviships, and other components of the military will remain in tact. By only removing Escaflowne, the temptation for the power of Atlantis will thus be removed from Gaea without compromising Fanelia's safety."

Lord Landon looked back at his fellow councilmen. Kanta could not read the gazes that passed among them. She held her breath, praying that they would agree with Van's proposal. Then the world of peace that Folken had dreamed of could finally become a reality . . .

"Where would the Escaflowne go?" one of the councilmen asked.

"It would be returned to its creators, the Ispano. They do not involve themselves in the affairs of Gaea. The guymelef would be safe in their hands. It is too dangerous to keep ourselves. Even if it remains asleep, it will still draw conflict to it and endanger Fanelia herself."

The council gathered into a loose circle. Their voices mumbled through the glade, and although Hitomi strained her ears she could hear their quiet words. Van stood placidly, calmly awaiting their decision. He caught her eye for a brief moment and smiled a small smile.

"Lord Van," Lord Landon announced, drawing their attention back to the council. His wrinkled face creased into a soft expression. "No matter our advice, you are firm in your decision, are you not?"

"Yes, I am," Van answered slowly.

"You have your father's decisiveness." Van interpreted that as a compliment, and his face brightened. "Then hear this, King Fanel," Lord Landon continued. "The Council of Advisors accepts and agrees with your proposal. The guymelef Escaflowne shall be returned to its creators, the Ispano clan, in order to remove the danger of fate manipulation from Gaea."

Merle let out a squeal of excitement, and Kanta laughed in happiness. Van wasted no time and leapt nimbly up to Escaflowne's control panel. His maroon eyes narrowed in determination, and then he flicked the green switch that summoned the Ispano ship.

Light erupted from Escaflowne's energists. Van jumped back down to the ground, his boots hitting the grass with a dull thunk. Everyone turned their heads upwards as the sky erupted in white light. The branches of the trees waved violently as a strong wind whipped through the glade. Hitomi reached back to hold the wreath of flowers onto her head as the massive Ispano ship descended to hover above the circle of trees.

Soon there was motion in the forest around them, and the murmuring of voices signaled the arrival of the Ispano. The little cloaked creatures appeared in two lines, maneuvering around the memorial to stop in front of Van. He bowed his head to them. One of the little cloaked men stepped forward.

"Escaflowne called us," he said.

"Yes," Van replied. "Fanelia wishes to return it to you."

The Ispano stood quietly, staring at Van with their glittering eyes. "For what purpose?" the leader finally asked.

Van tilted his chin up. "To remove the power of Atlantis from Gaea and allow peace to rule."

"Then the Ispano will accept." And with that, they gathered in a loose circle around the guymelef and began to chant. Hitomi recognized the shouts of _Oh Escaflowne!_ and _Oh Fanelia!_ with a small smile. Van stepped back and gave them room to identify the guymelef. The members of the Council of Advisors glanced at each other, uneasy and confused at the Ispano's behavior. Finally the chanting faded away into the shadows among the trees, and the leader approached Van again.

"Remove your heart, Fanelia."

Van blinked at him for a moment, then strode proudly to Escaflowne. He drew his arm back and plunged his hand into the glowing heart of the guymelef. When he withdrew his arm, he held the round pink energist he had cut from the dragon he slew when he was fifteen years old.

The Ispano leader reached out a gloved hand and tapped the energist once. "Blood pact terminated."

They left quietly, and the sky bloomed with light again. A pillar of white light descended, and Hitomi raised her hand to her shield her eyes as the Escaflowne was lifted into the Ispano ship, and they both disappeared into the sky.

Van stared up at the sky for a moment more, then turned to the assembly. "Thank you," he said softly. "You are dismissed." The Council members left in twos and threes, and Van waved away Merle's exclamations. Kanta drew her and Hiko away. Van reached out and gripped Hitomi's hand.

His deep maroon eyes never wavered from her face, and Hitomi felt her breath come short at the intensity of his gaze.

"Will you walk with me?" he asked.

Hitomi mutely nodded.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Please review? It would make my day!  
Well, I'm going to go watch some Esca episodes so I'll have inspiration to write the ending -- just one more chapter!


	21. Smell of the Fields

Here we go. The last chapter of Stay With Me. The song, "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down, is not only one of my favorite songs, but it is also the song that inspired me to write this fanfiction in the first place. I had just finished watching the anime, and I thought that "Here Without You" really captured how Van and Hitomi must feel once Hitomi returned to Earth.

I am very happy and a little sad to finally finish this story. I've worked on this for three, probably almost four, years now. It was quite an undertaking, and since I have a horrible habit of rarely finishing anything I start, and I proud to say that Stay With Me is officially completed.

Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, and encouraging me throughout this time!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own The Vision of Escaflowne or "Here Without You."

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_Everything I know_

_And anywhere I go,_

_It gets hard but it won't take away my love_

_And when the last one falls_

_When it's all said and done,_

_It gets hard but it won't take away my love_

— "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down

* * *

"Van?"

They walked in silence, side by side, the tension and uncertainty suddenly mounting until the air was thick with it, and Hitomi struggled to take a breath. They moved through the emerald forest, and still Van did not say a word. Instead, he looped around until they entered the clearing from the opposite side. Evening had flooded the grass, tinting the memorial a soft blue, and it was quiet and empty.

Van stepped away from her, out into the middle of the glade with his back facing her. Hitomi waited. His shoulders tensed.

"Hitomi," he said, the syllables falling slowly from his mouth, like three lovely white feathers twirling gracefully in the air. "Do you remember when I fought Allen?" he asked.

He did not wait for her to answer, but instead plunged on. "You stopped me, and we argued." He sucked in a deep breath. "I think you didn't know I could still hear you. You started to think out loud and you said . . ."

Hitomi felt her face burning. Van turned around, his eyes trained on the ground.

"You said you loved me," he breathed. "And I—I can only hope that you still do. Because—" Van swallowed with difficulty. His whole body shook. "Because I love you, Hitomi, and I want—I want you to stay with me."

By the end, his voice vanished to a soothing murmur.

Hitomi drew in a shuddering, happy breath at his declaration. But she could taste the sour flavor of piscus on her tongue again, and Hitomi asked slowly, "What do you mean, Van?"

Van's hand clenched, and his eyes flashed with conviction. He lifted his gaze to her face, and the maroon irises burned.

"I want—I want you to marry me."

Hitomi stood, stunned. The world seemed to pause as they stared at each other. Blood thundered in her ears, and she could not believe that he had actually said it. That he had actually proposed to her.

Hitomi ducked her head and smiled shyly at him.

"Yes, Van. Yes, I'll marry you."

_

* * *

_

Hiko pulled the bills out of his wallet and paid the woman at the counter, then took his coffee and Aiko's lemonade into his hands. The little girl tugged at his arm, reaching for her drink.

He handed it to her with a smile. "I'll get the straws if you'll find us a table."

Aiko nodded then turned to head into the sitting section of the coffee shop. Hiko moved to the island and reached for napkins and straws. He watched Aiko out of the corner of his eye. The little girl walked confidently forward, making a beeline for a little table in the corner. As Aiko stepped out, a woman with long brown hair moved up the aisle, completely engrossed in the magazine in her hand. A jolt shot through Hiko—the woman was going to run into Aiko! He left his coffee at the island and rushed toward his niece.

"Aiko!" he called. The little girl stopped and turned. The woman looked up, saw Aiko, and sidestepped quickly, falling forward slightly to avoid hitting her. Aiko ducked out of the way and scampered to the side. The woman gripped Hiko's forearm to steady herself, and her coffee flew from her cup and splashed all over Hiko's shirt.

Her blue eyes widened. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed. She reached for napkins and started dabbing at the stain, fussing over his shirt. He chuckled and took some of the napkins from her. The woman crouched in front of Aiko, concern creasing her lovely face.

"Are you all right, sweetheart? I'm very sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Aiko shook her head, eyes wide. The woman straightened and started apologizing frantically to Hiko again.

"It's all right," Hiko said, still laughing under his breath. He dabbed at the splash, then looked up into the woman's face. He started, shocked.

Her eyes were a different color, but the face and the hair—even the voice, too—were exactly the same. Hiko had seen the stark similarity between Amano and Allen, but he had not expected to find anyone else from Earth who mirrored the inhabitants of Gaea. Or was it that Gaea paralleled Earth?

Hiko shook his head. The woman looked like Kanta.

She was still frowning, tugging on a strand of her rich brown hair, and assessing the stain on his shirt. Hiko smiled at her.

"It's all right, really. I'm Hiko Munama, and this is my niece, Aiko. Perhaps I can buy you another cup of coffee?"

The woman looked up at his face, glanced at Aiko, and smiled warmly at the little girl. Aiko grinned back. She nodded, blushing a little. "I should be the one buying you a new shirt. But coffee would be very kind of you," she said.

* * *

With a soft clink, Celena lifted her cup of tea from the saucer and sipped the fragrant liquid. She stared at the woman sitting across from her and wondered why the second princess of Asturia was always so rigid.

Eries had invited Celena and her brother for tea, and although Allen had started at the invitation—Celena saw his eyebrows go up when he read the message, and he only did that when he was surprised by something—they had accepted. Allen sat beside his sister, politely continuing the conversation while Celena quietly sipped at her tea. She was unsure how to behave around this princess. With Millerna, conversation was always relaxed and friendly. But Eries never seemed to be relaxed.

The light from the window caught on the pale strands of hair that fell gracefully over Eries's forehead. Celena watched curiously as the golden metal around her ears gleamed. She was dignified and strong, even as she gracefully poured Allen more tea.

Strong. Yes, that was the right word. And proud.

Celena glanced at her brother. They were a lot alike, Eries and Allen. Both proud, both strong, both willing to do anything for Asturia.

She had seen Van and Hitomi look at each other lovingly at their wedding. She would like to see her own brother so happy, so perfectly at ease with someone, and since he and Eries were so similar . . .

Allen felt Celena's eyes on him, and he looked down at her. She was smiling, a quiet, suggestive smile, and Allen's heart lifted at the innocence that shone through her blue eyes. She started to speak to Eries, nervously at first, but then her voice grew in strength, and Allen nearly dropped his teacup when he realized that she was talking about him, that she was describing his strengths and kindness to Eries.

"Brother makes sure everything I need is taken care of," Celena continued. "He is an excellent person."

Eries nodded slowly. "Yes. Allen is a very honorable man."

Allen stared at the princess. To his surprise, there was not any sarcasm or disdain in her tone. She was completely serious. He had not expected a compliment like that to come from her.

"You and Allen should spend more time together," Celena suggested with a smile. "I think you would get along really well."

Eries cast her gaze down to her tea, and she fidgeted in her seat. Allen tilted his head. Was the most dignified princess in Asturia actually flustered?

"That is certainly an idea worth pursuing, Celena," he replied, a whole horizon of possibilities unfolding in his mind.

* * *

The Mystic Moon hung brilliantly in the sky, and the sun's rays beat upon his tan skin as Van lifted his face to the clear blue sky. He breathed deeply until the scent of Fanelia's fields mingled with his blood. Van exhaled happily. He loved his country.

Running footsteps caught his attention, and he suddenly remembered the watch in his hand. Hitomi came pounding past, eventually pulling to a stop. She turned and approached him, breathing heavily with a frustrated expression on her face.

"You forgot to record my time, didn't you?" she puffed.

Van sheepishly handed her Hiko's watch, the numbers still clicking upwards. He had not paid attention and had not pressed the stop button when Hitomi crossed the one-hundred meter marker.

But Hitomi only sighed, pocketed the watch, and rewarded him with a smile. Van reached for her hand, interlaced his fingers with hers, and pulled her close. Together, Van and Hitomi walked through the fields of Fanelia.

* * *

FIN

Thank you so much for reading and sticking with me through the whole story! My deepest gratitude to you!

~ SilverSanctuary


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